FACT CHECK: Republicans Voted AGAINST Supporting Students, Parents, Teachers & Schools

As Republicans hold a political stunt vote instead of working with Democrats to pass a budget that cuts taxes, grows millions of good paying jobs and lowers costs like health care, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson Jazmin Vargas released the following statement: 

“While Democrats are standing up for students, teachers and parents, every single Senate Republican voted against critical funding to safely reopen schools and help parents get their lives back on track. Senate Republicans are playing petty political games at the expense of students, teachers, and parents, and voters will hold them accountable.”

Every Republican In Congress Voted Against The American Rescue Plan. “Every Republican in Congress voted against the sweeping pandemic relief bill that President Joe Biden signed into law three months ago. But since the early spring votes, Republicans from New York and Indiana to Texas and Washington state have promoted elements of the legislation they fought to defeat.” [Associated Press, 5/6/21]

• CBPP: American Rescue Plan Provided “The Largest-Ever One-Time Federal Investment In K-12 Education.” “American schools sorely need additional funding to ensure that they can reopen safely and meet students’ educational needs, and the American Rescue Plan Act provides $123 billion in new, flexible funds for school districts that they can spend over the next three-and-a-half school years — the largest-ever one-time federal investment in K-12 education.” [CBPP, 3/15/21]

• Education Week: American Rescue Plan Helped Provide “An Unprecedented Infusion Of Federal Aid For K-12 Education.” “President Joe Biden has signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which will provide a fresh round of coronavirus relief for schools as an unprecedented infusion of federal aid for K-12 education continues. The legislation includes approximately $129 billion to help students and educators deal with the various impacts of the pandemic; most of that money (about $123 billion) is part of a stabilization fund for elementary and secondary education that’s distributed through the federal Title I formula for disadvantaged students. Local school districts will receive at least 90 percent of that stabilization fund, but they must earmark one dollar out of every five for learning recovery programs.” [Education Week, 3/11/21]

###