Labrador, Simpson support House ESEA rewrite

Idaho Reps. Raul Labrador and Mike Simpson joined a narrow House majority Wednesday night, supporting a rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

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President Obama has threatened to veto the House-passed education overhaul.

The House voted 218-213 to pass the Student Success Act, which is seen as an attempt to roll back some of the federal education policies that came with the 2001 No Child Left Behind law. More than two dozen Republicans voted against the bill Wednesday, the Washington Post reported Wednesday evening. No Democrats supported the bill, and President Obama has threatened a veto.

The House vote also sets up a potential showdown with the Senate. On Tuesday, the Senate began deliberating on its own version of an ESEA rewrite, co-sponsored by Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Patty Murray, D-Wash.

After Wednesday’s vote, Simpson said the House “moved the ball forward” on a potential ESEA compromise. “The Senate is doing their work on ESEA, and eventually Congress will have the opportunity to go to (a conference committee) and pass a final piece of legislation that ensures policy changes will positively impact both students and teachers.”

Check back at Idaho Education News Thursday for a closer look at the ESEA rewrite process.

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [email protected]

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