04-01-2000

EDUCATION: House Moderates Flunk Education Bill

Facing a revolt from more than a dozen Republicans with labor ties, House
GOP leaders were forced to cancel floor debate on education savings
account legislation that had been scheduled for March 30. The bill would
spread nearly $12 billion worth of tax breaks among families with children
enrolled in kindergarten through college; a chief provision would increase
to $2,000 from $500 the annual per-pupil tax-free contribution to
education savings accounts. This week, a group of mainly moderate
Republican members objected when House GOP leaders tried to squelch an
amendment intended to bolster school construction offered by Reps. Nancy
L. Johnson, R-Conn., and Charles B. Rangel, D-N.Y. Several Republicans
said they would vote to oppose the bill if the provision on school
construction-a favorite issue of Democrats-was not included. But GOP
leaders squarely opposed Johnson's proposal, and apparently feared they
might not have the votes to defeat it on the floor. Johnson's measure
would provide about $25 billion in school construction bonds. In addition,
it would encourage contractors to pay prevailing wages on school
construction contracts, in accordance with the Davis-Bacon Act-a
particularly sensitive issue to Republicans in districts with a
significant labor presence. The Senate passed education savings account
legislation in February, but President Clinton has threatened a veto,
saying the bill would divert precious dollars from public schools to
private ones.


Geoff Earle/CongressDaily

National Journal