[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 11, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H3149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                      D.C. OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, the Senate passed the $410 billion omnibus 
spending bill last night containing some 9,000 special interest 
earmarks. Sadly, it included a provision that will effectively kill a 
popular and successful program here in our Nation's Capital that 
provides a ray of hope for the children it serves.
  The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program provides low-income families 
with a voucher they can use to attend the school of their choice. For 
many students, this provides the opportunity to get out of dangerous 
and failing public schools into private schools that provide them with 
a safe environment and a quality education.
  This program is under attack by politicians in Congress, many of whom 
send their own children to private schools. If school choice is good 
enough for their kids, why not school choice for everyone?
  I urge the President, who has chosen private school for his own 
children, to veto this special interest, pork-ladened bill and work 
with Congress toward meaningful education reform.

                          ____________________