Senate must adopt Sen. Rubio’s amendment to reopen schools

American taxpayers should not reward school systems that refuse to do their jobs.

Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging the U.S. Senate to adopt an amendment by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) that would block $170 billion of stimulus funds for schools unless they reopen by April 30:

“Failure to vote in favor of the Rubio amendment is anti-child. The ugly truth is that every day public schools remain closed, children including those with disabilities are denied the rehabilitative education they are promised under federal law, with lifetime consequences. Young children are denied the building blocks for reading, writing and arithmetic that are essential during their formative years while their brains are sponges. And high schoolers are unable to meet their academic needs to smoothly move on to college.

“It is imperative that schools which remain closed, denying children a public education, are not rewarded with any more stimulus money without being compelled to reopen. The science is clear, as the CDC has stated, that reopening schools is safe even without vaccines. By April 30, teachers who want a vaccination should have received a vaccination based on their place in the priority list.

“American taxpayers should not reward school systems that refuse to do their jobs, hurting those who are dependent on the public system for their education the most.  A vote for the Rubio amendment is a vote for the future, and Americans for Limited Government urges a yes vote.”

Attachments:

“Sen. Rubio amendment would block schools from stimulus funding if they refuse to reopen by April 30,” by Robert Romano at https://dailytorch.com/2021/02/sen-rubio-amendment-would-block-schools-from-stimulus-funding-if-they-refuse-to-reopen-by-april-30/

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or email media@limitgov.org.

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