[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 46 (Friday, April 1, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OPPORTUNITY AND RESULTS ACT

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                               speech of

                     HON. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 30, 2011

  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to 
H.R. 471, the so-called Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act.
  When Republicans took over the House majority in January, they 
promised to uphold the Constitution--even going so far as to read it on 
the House Floor.
  They also pledged to reduce the deficit by fully offsetting any new 
discretionary spending. But the ideological legislation offered today 
breaks both promises.
  It also continues to push the extreme and reckless social agenda of 
the majority while failing to offer any bill to create much-needed 
jobs.
  As I have said before on this Floor, it is not enough to simply read 
the Constitution, but to abide by it, and carry out its charge. This 
bill violates a fundamental principle enshrined in the First Amendment 
of the Constitution--the Establishment Clause.
  This ``wall of separation,'' as Thomas Jefferson so famously put it, 
is ripped asunder by H.R. 471, which unabashedly funnels millions of 
public tax dollars to private religious schools.
  The bill compels the American public to spend its tax dollars to fund 
religious schools that do not have to adhere to important civil rights 
laws or federal statues requiring equality such as Title IX. This is 
simply unacceptable.
  We must defend the ``wall of separation'' between church and state as 
envisioned by our nation's founders and we must fight to uphold it for 
all Americans.
  H.R. 471 also violates the Republican leadership's ``CutGo'' promise.
  This completely unpaid for legislation would increase the federal 
deficit by $300 million to reauthorize and expand a program that has 
utterly failed to increase student achievement.
  What is even more appalling is the fact that Speaker Boehner is 
pushing the use of public dollars for private religious schools while 
at the same time slashing federal education funding by almost $5 
billion in the majority's job-killing FY11 spending bill passed in 
February.
  Across the country public schools are still reeling from the great 
recession that helped create large state budget deficits.
  In fact, in my home state of Florida, the Republican Governor, is 
proposing an additional $2.3 billion in cuts to public education.
  Rather than turn our backs on students, we should be working together 
to improve public education, make sound investments balanced with smart 
cuts, and ensure that all students have access to instruction that will 
give them the tools they need to succeed in the 21st century.
  Instead, we stand here today debating a bill that doubles down on a 
failed Republican program in the District of Columbia which veers far 
away from these ideals.
  The Department of Education found that many of the students in the 
voucher program were less likely to have access to key services--such 
as English as a Second Language programs, learning support and special 
needs programs, counselors, or even teachers with a bachelor's degree.
  Democrats will continue to judge each piece of legislation that comes 
before the House by whether it creates jobs, strengthens our middle 
class, or reduces the deficit. H.R. 471 achieves none of these goals 
while also violating the Constitution.
  I urge my colleagues to vote no on this ill- conceived bill.

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