Last night, the House passed that war bill with the $10 billion in teacher job bailout (H.R. 4899), drawing on $800 million in cuts to Race to the Top, the Charter Schools Program, and Teacher Incentive Fund. Obey's take on cutting RTT: Duncan still has nearly $3 billion to spend. Can some one say Congressional-Administration disconnect?
Frankly, this is why the entire amendment process gets me incredibly angry. By tacking on a last minute slipshod change to a huge unrelated bill, Obey was able to slip this one in. (Granted, the bill still has to pass the Senate and get Obama's signature, which I'll get into in a second.) I was right about one thing yesterday: Obey's decision to fund a teacher bailout with cuts to Obama's favorite education initiatives was shooting is own amendment in the foot. To wit, the White House says that Obama will likely veto any bill with cuts to his favored education initiatives.?But that's when I didn't think the amendment would fly (as in Congress wouldn't put it up for a vote and/or pass it until the amendment was stricken).
Now that the whole bill has passed, I'm doubtful?after all, it's tacked on to much needed emergency spending for Iraq and Afghanistan. Will Obama risk that political minefield, namely underfunding our troops, to save $800 mil for ED when ED's budget is already 23509230 times bigger than it was before the stimulus? Not buying it. As for the Senate, Harkin and Obey have been of one mind on the teacher bailout?and again, this is funding for the two wars in the Middle East, which is just as politically touchy for Congress as it is for the president?so I don't see much of a problem getting it passed there, and on to Obama's desk.
Too bad that we're again pushing tough decisions about teacher quality?namely making layoffs based on seniority rather than effectiveness, or not making layoffs at all?down the road yet again, and hurting some semi-effective federal education reform grant programs in the process.
Update 10:48 am: Read the WH's official response here. Final two sentences:
The Administration urges the House to include education jobs funding in a version of H.R. 4899 that does not rescind education reform funding. If the final bill presented to the President includes cuts to education reforms, the President's senior advisors would recommend a veto. (Their emphasis, not mine)
?Stafford Palmieri
