Jill N. Tokuda

Mr. Chair, Procedure · 9 wordsI claim the time in opposition to this amendment.Procedure Mr. Chair, Positioning · 10 wordswe all want the same thing for our military families.PositioningUnearned certainty Claims · 148 wordsWhile our servicemembers carry out the mission to protect and defend our Nation, we have a duty to care for the loved ones whom they leave behind. For families with school-aged children, that means investing in safe, stable, high-quality schools where every child can learn, grow, and thrive. This amendment does the opposite. It creates a new, unfunded voucher program that diverts taxpayer dollars to private, including religious, schools instead of strengthening the public schools that educate most of our military-connected children.¹ This year, taxpayers are investing $3.6 billion in DoDEA schools, ²but the majority of military-connected students attend local public schools, ³which receive just $70 million in Impact Aid, even though they lose local property tax revenue because of nearby military installations.⁴⁵ These schools welcome military children every time new orders arrive, helping them navigate new classrooms, new communities, and the challenges of constant moves and deployments. Reasoning · 30 wordsIf Congress is prepared to invest more in military children’s education, and I fully support that, we should be investing where most of them are already learning: our public schools. Claims · 80 wordsThis amendment also falls short for families raising children with disabilities. Public schools are legally required to identify students with disabilities and provide the services and accommodations they need.⁶ Private schools are not. They may lack specialized staff or refuse to admit a child altogether. Unlike public schools, private schools are not required to follow the same Federal civil rights protections.⁷ Taxpayer dollars could fund schools that discriminate in admissions based on disability, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and other characteristics. Reasoning · 16 wordsA voucher is not a real choice if a school can simply turn a child away. Positioning · 5 wordsOur military families deserve better.Positioning The ask · 28 wordsLet’s strengthen the schools they rely on, fully support DoDEA and public schools through Impact Aid and ensure every military child has access to a well-funded, accountable education.Vague promise