District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 2004-Continued
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2004CONTINUED
Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the limited private school choice provisions in the District of Columbia Appropriations bill.
As you know, private school choice, also commonly known as a voucher, refers to the use of public money to allow a limited number of students to attend a K-12 private school.
As a strong supporter of our Nation's public schools, I certainly appreciate the views of those who believe that public money should be used to improve only public schools.
However, as a member of the Senate's Education Committee, I also strongly believe that if our educational system is to improve, as needed, we cannot remain stuck in the status-quo. We must look for innovative ways to improve our schools.
While providing additional money into an educational system can helpmoney alone is never enough.
I commend the Mayor of Washington, DCMayor Anthony Williamswho along with others have all come together in support of an innovative idea to improve the educational system in the District of Columbia: an infusion of money into the public school system along with a limited private school choice option for the District of Columbia.
How fortunate we are to have the leadership of Mayor Williams in the District of Columbia.
The legislation before us does just what Mayor Williams has requested. It adds an additional $40 million in education spending in the District. $27 million of that $40 million will go to the District's public schools and charter schools. The remaining $13 million will be used for the limited private school choice option provided in this bill.
And while some may be critical of spending $13 million on private school choice, I believe it is important to view this money in the context of other education spending.
In comparison to the $13 million we will spend in this bill on private school choice, the Federal Government currently spends about $12.5 billion on the Pell Grant program. And as we all know, the Pell Grant Program provides grants to students to help them afford the cost of tuition at an institution of higher learning, regardless of whether the institution is a public or private one.
Similarly, the proposal before us today will allow certain low-income students in the District to attend private K-12 school.
More specifically, the school choice provisions in this legislation will provide scholarships of up to $7,500 to allow 2,000 low-income students the opportunity to attend private school.
These scholarships will be sufficient in dollar amount to cover the cost of tuition at approximately two-thirds of the private schools in the District. It is my hope that the remaining one-third of private schools in the District, whose tuition is more expensive than $7,500 a year, will consider making special exceptions to also open their doors to the low-income students in the District who are scholarship recipients.
In my view, the proposal supported by Mayor Williams and put forth in this legislation is a win-win situation. The school system gets more money and low-income students are given a unique educational opportunity.
Over 50 years ago, I was given a similarly unique opportunity to obtain a quality education as I was a recipient of the GI bill. The education that I was fortunate enough to receive as a result of the GI bill has allowed me to achieve most of the dreams to which I have aspired. Without the GI bill, I certainly would not be standing here today.
Similarly, the private school choice proposal before the Senate today will provide certain students in the District with an opportunity to receive a strong education. And, along with that education, these scholarships will provide these students the same opportunity I had to achieve my goals in life.
I commend the work and leadership of the chairman, Senator DeWine, my colleague in the Virginia congressional delegation, Tom Davis, Mayor Anthony Williams, the local media, and other philanthropists and community leaders who have worked closely together in support of this private school choice initiative.
It is my intention to support this limited private school choice initiative, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.