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Today, Republicans and some Democrats are hoping that today marks the beginning of a process to restoring the rescinded funds. The Obama Administration, of course, opposes the legislation:
While the Administration appreciates that H.R. 471 would provide Federal support for improving public schools in the District of Columbia (D.C.), including expanding and improving high-quality D.C. public charter schools, the Administration opposes the creation or expansion of private school voucher programs that are authorized by this bill. The Federal Government should focus its attention and available resources on improving the quality of public schools for all students. Private school vouchers are not an effective way to improve student achievement. The Administration strongly opposes expanding the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program and opening it to new students.
Indeed! Discounting better classroom results, higher graduation rates, sky-high parental satisfaction, and glittering cost-effectiveness, "private school vouchers are not an effective way to improve student achievement." Tell that to
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Boehner's bill would provide a mere $20 million in funding to restore this successful vouchers program -- the beneficiaries of which are almost exclusively indigent black families from inner-city DC. And yet, the Obama Administration has suddenly found a form of federal spending it can oppose. What a joke.
UPDATE: The Heritage Foundation fact checks some mindless demagoguery on this issue emanating from -- who else? -- Nancy Pelosi.
UPDATE II: The bill has passed, with just one Democrat voting yes, and a handful (at this moment, it's 9) Republicans voting no. Bravo. The legislation's future is uncertain, at best. After all,
UPDATE III (3/31): Here's the roll.
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