In Congress today, Congressional Republicans added a provision to HR 6408, the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, which looked to be headed for quick passage. The provision would raise the income cap on the DC voucher program from 185% to 300% of the federal poverty line.

People For the American Way Director of Public Policy Tanya Clay House issued the following statement:

“Voucher advocates have inserted an extremely contentious issue into this bill, and a vote to support it is a vote against public education. It’s a shame that lame duck Republicans would cram a flagrantly ideological provision into what otherwise would have been a popular and non-controversial piece of legislation.

“The DC voucher program has produced no hard evidence that it helps children succeed academically. For Congress to expand the program without knowing whether it even works is absurd. Changing the rules in the middle of the game would also call into question the validity of the congressionally mandated study of the program.”