News Release

Senators try to Resurrect Failed Voucher Amendment:

Despite House Defeat, Underhanded Political Maneuvering Continues

WASHINGTON, DC -- Some lawmakers pushed today to attach a divisive private school voucher amendment, defeated in the House, to the Defense Appropriations bill in the Senate. National Education Association President Reg Weaver released the following statement about the proposal:

“This voucher amendment should suffer the same fate as its predecessors. This issue should be history, but political games in the Senate might bring it back to the table.

“Time and time again, the public has defeated attempts to drain valuable resources from our public schools through vouchers. It’s a divisive debate that should not be taking place during the important dialogue needed to finish the defense appropriations legislation.

"Instead of pushing for funding of risky voucher schemes in a defense bill, Congress should focus on investing in the future of our students by fully funding education in the education appropriations bill. Our students deserve the high quality teachers and up-to-date classroom materials that funding can provide, not political games."  

Dec. 15, 2005

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NEA Contact:
Cecil Cahoon, Public Relations, (202) 822-7756


The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, college faculty, school administrators, education support professionals, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.