[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 70 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 70

  Expressing support for the District of Columbia school scholarship 
                                program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 10, 2009

Mr. Frelinghuysen (for himself, Mr. Boehner, Mr. McKeon, Mr. Issa, Mr. 
 Latham, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Mica, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Chaffetz, 
Mr. Garrett of New Jersey, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. Radanovich, Mr. Sam Johnson 
of Texas, Mr. Petri, Mr. Tiberi, Ms. Foxx, and Mr. Manzullo) submitted 
    the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing support for the District of Columbia school scholarship 
                                program.

Whereas the Congress established the Opportunity Scholarships Program (OSP) for 
        kindergarten through grade 12 students in Washington, DC, in 2004;
Whereas each year the program has provided scholarships of up to $7,500 annually 
        to cover tuition, fees, and transportation expenses for each of about 
        1,700 disadvantaged children to attend private school;
Whereas since 2004, over 7,000 students have applied and 3,000 OSP scholarships 
        have been provided to students;
Whereas during the 2008-2009 school year, over 1,715 DC OSP students are 
        attending 49 nonpublic schools of their choice and the average annual 
        income for these families is around $22,736;
Whereas a recent University of Arkansas study shows that parents' satisfaction 
        with the OSP has deepened to include an appreciation for small class 
        sizes, rich curricula, and positive change in their sons and daughters 
        and that what parents most value above all is the freedom to choose 
        where their children go to school;
Whereas one student who receives an OSP scholarship was quoted as saying the 
        following: ``Since attending Georgetown Day School, I have been able to 
        expand my horizons, interact with people of various beliefs and 
        cultures, and educate myself about the world in an open, accepting, and 
        safe environment . . . For me, having received WSF scholarship means 
        having an opportunity that I may not have otherwise have. Being a part 
        of something bigger, something called `Higher Education', I not only 
        make a difference, but become the difference.''; and
Whereas the fiscal year 2009 omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 1105) includes a 
        provision designed to terminate the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program 
        by requiring that it be reauthorized by Congress and approved by the DC 
        government to receive Federal funding after the 2009-2010 academic year: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that it is in the national 
interest of the United States to continue the District's Opportunity 
Scholarship Program after school year 2009-2010 without reduction in 
the benefits provided under the program.
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