House Defeats Voucher Bill: A Legislative Update From the NEA
Last week, House Members soundly defeated H.R. 2746, the Help Empower
Low-income Parents bill (HELP). HELP, a straight "up or down"
vote on vouchers, was defeated 228-191.
Thirty-five Republicans voted against H.R. 2746, comprising the largest
number of Republicans ever to vote against a voucher bill. If enacted,
HELP would have allowed state and local education agencies to use their
current Title VI funds to pay for private and religious school vouchers.
Republicans who voted against H.R. 2746: Reps. Barrett (NE); Bereuter
(NE); Blunt (MO); Boehlert (NY); Burr (NC); Cannon (UT); Castle (DE);
Collins (GA); Davis (VA); English (PA); Fawell (IL); Frelinghuysen (NJ);
Gilman (NY); Goodlatte (VA); Horn (CA); Houghton (NY); Hutchinson (AR);
Jenkins (TN); Johnson (CT); Klug (WI); LaHood (IL); Leach (IA); LoBiondo
(NJ); McDade (PA); McHugh (NY); Moran (KS); Morella (MD); Ney (OH);
Quinn (NY); Ramstad (MN); Regula (OH); Roukema (NJ); Saxton (NJ); Smith
(NJ); and Thune (SD).
Democrats who voted for H.R. 2746: Reps. Flake (NY); Hall (TX); John
(LA); and Lipinski (IL).
Action needed: Call or write your Member of Congress and thank
them for voting against H.R. 2746, which was a vote against vouchers.
If they voted for H.R. 2746, ask them to vote against vouchers in the
future.
TUITION TAX CREDIT BILL FAILS IN SENATE AFTER SECOND CLOTURE TRY...
A second attempt to invoke cloture on H.R. 2646 was defeated by a vote
of 44-56 in the Senate this week. Failure to invoke cloture prevented
a floor vote on the bill, representing a big win for the Association
and public education. H.R. 2646, the "A-Plus Education Savings
Accounts," would have created tax-free savings accounts for families
earning up to $160,000 yearly to use for payment of expenses associated
with private, religious, public, or home-schooling.
The bill is expected to be taken up by the Senate Finance Committee
during the next session of Congress. NEA opposes tax credits and shelters
like those called for in H.R. 2646 because they:
- Use public funds to help subsidize private and religious school
costs.
- Do nothing to improve school safety, teacher training, or parental
involvement in public schools.
Action needed: Call or write your Senators. Thank those who
voted against H.R. 2646 and ask them to vote against it when it comes
up for consideration next session. If your Senators voted for H.R. 2646,
ask them to vote against any similar tax schemes to pay for private
or religious schools in the next session.
CONGRESS PASSES EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS BILL...
Congress this weekend passed by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote the
FY 98 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education appropriations bill,
H.R. 2264. NEA supported passage of the conference report, which provides
a $3.3 billion increase for Department of Education programs.
The bill includes a compromise on voluntary national testing, allowing
development to proceed under the auspices of the National Assessment
Governing Board but prohibiting implementation of the tests before September
30, 1998. The House passed the bill 352-65, while the Senate margin
was 94-1. Further details on a program-by-program breakout will be provided
later.
SENATE STRIPS VOUCHER PLAN FROM D.C. APPROPRIATIONS BILL...
The Senate passed by voice vote an appropriations bill for the District
of Columbia last night following a move by Republicans to strip a controversial
voucher plan from the budget bill. The Senate instead passed by voice
vote the voucher bill as a free-standing bill, S. 1502. The House passed
a D.C. budget bill containing the voucher plan by a single vote earlier
this fall.
The House is deciding how to proceed. President Clinton is expected
to veto the voucher bill. Congress remains in session through Friday.
Action needed: Call your Representatives and urge them to vote
against S. 1502. If it is amended to the D.C. appropriations bill, urge
them to vote against that bill also.
Posted November 11, 1997