Federal & State Legislative Update
A weekly review of progress on the Quality Public Schools Agenda and
other legislation that impacts our students, classrooms, and public education.
October 24, 2003
"Be Prepared!"
Votes Called With Little or No Notice.
The 'end game' is in full swing. The House and Senate Leaderships' strategy is to end this first session of the 108^th Congress swiftly and recess until January 2004. Parliamentary quarterbacks call the daily plays. For both the offense and the defense, the word of the day is "Be Prepared!"

Watch List
Voucher Vote
The House Leadership this week surreptitiously inserted District of Columbia voucher funding for the 2004 budget year in a Continuing Resolution (CR), that is, a short-term spending bill to continue government operations because the budget for the 2004 fiscal year that began October 1 is not yet complete.

The Senate has a tool box of options to block the voucher language. Whatever strategies Senate voucher opponents pursue, the message is the same: 'Taxpayer-funded private and religious school vouchers are bad public policy and should be defeated.'

Urge your Senators to vote NO to the false-hope of ill-conceived, federally funded private school vouchers in the District of Columbia. (<