Prior Voucher Legislation
2019-20 Voucher Legislation
THE HEALS ACT
The Senate coronavirus relief package released on July 27, 2020 would fund private schools through a grant program for certain expenses at private schools as well as creating a new federally funded voucher program called the Emergency Education Freedom Grant program.
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SCHOOL CHOICE NOW ACT (S. 4284)
Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced this bill to funnel federal funds allocated in the CARES Act to fund state tax credit voucher programs. The bill would also establish a $5 billion tax credit voucher program that would provide donors a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for donating to organizations that provide vouchers to students to attend private schools.
NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY ACT (H.R. 4586)
Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) introduced legislation to create a five-year pilot program that would provide education savings accounts to Tribal students enrolled in Bureau of Indian Education schools. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
CHILD SAFETY ACCOUNTS ACT (H.R. 2538)
Representative Jim Banks (R-IN) introduced legislation to create a voucher program for students in DC who have safety concerns, including bullying, harassment, and food safety needs. This bill has been referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform.
EDUCATION FREEDOM SCHOLARSHIP AND OPPORTUNITY ACT (S. 634 / H.R. 1434)
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Representative Bradley Byrne (R-AL) introduced legislation to create a federal tax credit voucher program that would provide donors a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for donating to organizations that provide vouchers to students to attend private schools. The tax credits could total $5 billion each year.
EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS FOR MILITARY FAMILIES ACT OF 2019 (S. 695 / H.R. 1605)
Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Ben Sasse (R-NE), and Tom Cotton (R-OK) and Representative Jim Banks (R-IN) have introduced legislation to create education savings account (ESA) vouchers for students of active duty military parents.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ACT (S. 5)
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced this bill to create a federal tuition tax credit program. It would allow for a dollar-for-dollar credit on donations made by individuals (up to $4,500) and corporations (up to $100,000). This bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Finance.
CHOICE ACT (S. 145)
Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced the “Creating Hope and Opportunity for Individuals and Communities through Education Act” (CHOICE Act) to create a private school voucher program for students with disabilities and students from military families, and expand the DC voucher program. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
ENDING COMMON CORE AND EXPANDING SCHOOL CHOICE ACT (H.R. 69)
Introduced by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), this bill would create a Title I portability scheme, allowing Title I dollars to "follow the child" to public, charter, or private schools. This bill has been referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
Pre-2019 Voucher Legislation
Military Education Savings Accounts Act (H.R. 5199 / S. 2517)
This bill was introduced in the House by Representative Jim Banks (R-IN) and in the Senate by Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) and Senator Tim Scott (R-SC). The bill would use the federal Impact Aid program to fund a new Education Savings Account (ESA) program for military-connected students.
USA Workforce Tax Credit Act (H.R. 5153)
Introduced by Representative Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), this bill would create a tuition tax credit program by providing a tax credit to individuals and corporations that give money to scholarship granting organizations to that provide vouchers to K-12 students.
Choice Act (S. 235 / H.R. 691)
Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and Rep. Todd Rokita (R-IN) introduced the “Creating Hope and Opportunity for Individuals and Communities through Education Act” (CHOICE Act) in the Senate and House. This bill would allow funds from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to be used for private school vouchers, give vouchers to students from military families, and expand the DC voucher program to include students already attending private schools. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions in the Senate. In the House, it has been referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and the Armed Services Committee.
Educational opportunities Act (S. 148 / H.R. 895)
Introduced by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) in the Senate and Rep. Todd Rokita (R-IN) in the House, this bill would create a tuition tax credit program. It would allow for a dollar-for-dollar credit on donations made by individuals (up to $4,500) and corporations (up to $100,000). This bill has been referred to the Committee on Finance in the Senate and to the Committee on Education and the Workforce and Committee on Ways and Means in the House.
Enhancing educational opportunities for all students act (H.R. 716)
Introduced by Rep. Luke Messer (R-IN), this bill would establish Title I portability, allowing federal funds for low-income students to "follow the child" to another school and would also allow contributions to 529 accounts to be used toward pre-K, elementary, and secondary school expenses including tuition at private schools and home school expenses. This bill has been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Choices in Education Act (H.R. 610)
Introduced by Rep. Steve King (R-IA), this bill would repeal the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and allot block grants to states to use to fund vouchers for students to attend private schools and be homeschooled. This bill has been referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY ACT (S. 1294)
Introduced by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Senator James Lankford (R-OK), the Native American Education Opportunity Act would expend Bureau of Indian Affairs funds to education savings accounts.
Ending Common Core and Expanding School Choice Act (H.R.1462)
Introduced by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), this bill would create a Title I portability scheme, allowing Title I dollars to "follow the child" to public, charter, or private schools. This bill has been referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Military Child Educational Freedom Act (H.R.2624)
Introduced by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), this bill would allow military families to use Coverdell savings accounts for homeschooling. This bill has been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Education Freedoms Account Act (S. 2455 / H.R. 4426)
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) introduced the Education Freedoms Account Act in 2016. The bill, which did not move, would have forced the District of Columbia to direct its local funds away from its public schools to pay for students to attend private schools.
Slate: Ted Cruz Loves Small Government So Much He Wants Congress to Force More School Vouchers on DC
Every Student Succeeds Act
Adopted in 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act reauthorized the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the national education law that governs federally funded programs for K-12 education. NCPE succeeded in defeating several attempts in both the House and the Senate to add vouchers and Title I portability measures to the bill.
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