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David Vitter on Education
Republican Jr Senator; previously Representative (LA-1)
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Get Louisiana out of Common Core
David believes that dramatically improving K-12 education is our single biggest challenge long-term. He'll get Louisiana out of Common Core and instead establish Louisiana standards, testing, and accountability that are as or more rigorous.
And he'll work to boost reading skills in the early grades, empower parents and school-based leaders, and emphasize skills training opportunities in high school.
Source: 2015 Louisiana Governor campaign website, DavidVitter.com
, Aug 11, 2015
No federal incentives to get states to adopt Common Core
Vitter won congressional budget passage of measures to bar the federal government from coercing or incentivizing states to adopt
Common Core, or provide subsidies for House and Senate members' health insurance, though the budget's provisions don't have the effect of law.
Source: Times-Picayune coverage of 2015 Louisiana Gubernatorial race
, May 29, 2015
Headstart is very important but also very spotty
So many studies have proven that’s crucial to getting kids off to the right start. Headstart is very important but as you look around Louisiana and around the country, it’s very spotty.
Source: LA Senate Debate, in Tuscaloosa News
, Oct 21, 2004
Supports vouchers for private & religious schools
Vitter supports the following principles regarding education:- Allow parents to use vouchers (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any publicly-funded school, and to any participating school: public, private or religious.
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Allow parents to use tax-free savings accounts to send their children to any publicly-funded school, and to any participating school: public, private or religious.
Source: Congressional 2002 National Political Awareness Test
, Nov 5, 2002
Supports charter schools & increased flexibility
Vitter supports the following principles regarding education:- Support charter schools where teachers and professionals receive authorization and funding to establish new schools.
- Promote education flexibility by giving federal funds, in the
form of block grants, to the states to spend it as they see fit.
- Eliminate restrictions on federal education funding, giving educators or local school districts more flexibility to design and implement their programs.
Source: Congressional 2002 National Political Awareness Test
, Nov 5, 2002
Voted NO on additional $10.2B for federal education & HHS projects.
Vote on the passage of the bill, the American Competitiveness Scholarship Act, the omnibus appropriations bill for the Departments of Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor. Pres. Bush then vetoed the Bill. Proponents support voting YES because:
Rep. OBEY: This bill, more than any other, determines how willing we are to make the investment necessary to assure the future strength of this country and its working families. The President has chosen to cut the investments in this bill by more than $7.5 billion in real terms. This bill rejects most of those cuts.
Opponents recommend voting NO because:
Rep. LEWIS: This bill reflects a fundamental difference in opinion on the level of funding necessary to support the Federal Government's role in education, health and workforce programs. The bill is $10.2 billion over the President's budget request. While many of these programs are popular on both sides of the aisle, this bill contains what can
rightly be considered lower priority and duplicative programs. For example, this legislation continues three different programs that deal with violence prevention. An omnibus bill is absolutely the wrong and fiscally reckless approach to completing this year's work. It would negate any semblance of fiscal discipline demonstrated by this body in recent years.
Veto message from President Bush:
This bill spends too much. It exceeds [by $10.2 billion] the reasonable and responsible levels for discretionary spending that I proposed to balance the budget by 2012. This bill continues to fund 56 programs that I proposed to terminate because they are duplicative, narrowly focused, or not producing results. This bill does not sufficiently fund programs that are delivering positive outcomes. This bill has too many earmarks--more than 2,200 earmarks totaling nearly $1 billion. I urge the Congress to send me a fiscally responsible bill that sets priorities.
Reference: American Competitiveness Scholarship Act;
Bill H.R. 3043
; vote number 2007-391
on Oct 23, 2007
Voted NO on $52M for "21st century community learning centers".
To increase appropriations for after-school programs through 21st century community learning centers. Voting YES would increase funding by $51.9 million for after school programs run by the 21st century community learning centers and would decrease funding by $51.9 million for salaries and expenses in the Department of Labor.
Reference: Amendment to Agencies Appropriations Act;
Bill S Amdt 2287 to HR 3010
; vote number 2005-279
on Oct 27, 2005
Voted NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies.
To provide an additional $5 billion for title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Voting YES would provide:- $2.5 billion for targeting grants to local educational agencies
- $2.5 billion for education finance incentive grants
Reference: Elementary and Secondary Education Amendment;
Bill S Amdt 2275 to HR 3010
; vote number 2005-269
on Oct 26, 2005
Voted NO on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education.
Vote to adopt an amendment to the Senate's 2006 Fiscal Year Budget Resolution that would adjust education funding while still reducing the deficit by $5.4 billion. A YES vote would: - Restore education program cuts slated for vocational education, adult education, GEAR UP, and TRIO.
- Increase the maximum Pell Grant scholarship to $4,500 immediately.
- Increases future math and science teacher student loan forgiveness to $23,000.
- Pay for the education funding by closing $10.8 billion in corporate tax loopholes.
Reference: Kennedy amendment relative to education funding;
Bill S AMDT 177 to S Con Res 18
; vote number 2005-68
on Mar 17, 2005
Voted YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror.
Children's Prayers Resolution: Expressing the sense of Congress that schools should allow children time to pray for, or silently reflect upon, the country during the war against terrorism.
Reference: Bill sponsored by Isakson, R-GA;
Bill H.Con.Res.239
; vote number 2001-445
on Nov 15, 2001
Voted YES on requiring states to test students.
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001: Vote to pass a bill that would authorize $22.8 billion in education funding, a 29 percent increase from fiscal 2001. The bill would require states to test students to track progress.
Reference: Bill sponsored by Boehner R-OH;
Bill HR 1
; vote number 2001-145
on May 23, 2001
Rated 9% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes.
Vitter scores 9% by the NEA on public education issues
The National Education Association has a long, proud history as the nation's leading organization committed to advancing the cause of public education. Founded in 1857 "to elevate the character and advance the interests of the profession of teaching and to promote the cause of popular education in the United States," the NEA has remained constant in its commitment to its original mission as evidenced by the current mission statement:
To fulfill the promise of a democratic society, the National Education Association shall promote the cause of quality public education and advance the profession of education; expand the rights and further the interest of educational employees; and advocate human, civil, and economic rights for all.
In pursuing its mission, the NEA has determined that it will focus the energy and resources of its 2.7 million members toward the "promotion of public confidence in public education."
The ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position.
Source: NEA website 03n-NEA on Dec 31, 2003
Support the goals and ideals of Charter Schools.
Vitter co-sponsored supporting the goals and ideals of Charter Schools
A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Charter Schools Week, April 30, 2007, through May 4, 2007. - Whereas charter schools deliver high-quality education and challenge students to reach their potential;
- Whereas charter schools provide thousands of families with diverse and innovative educational options for their children;
- Whereas charter schools are public schools authorized by designated public entities to respond to the needs of communities, families, and students, and to promote the principles of quality, choice, and innovation;
- Whereas, in exchange for the flexibility and autonomy given to charter schools, charter schools are held accountable by their sponsors for improving student achievement and for their finances and other operations;
- Whereas 40 States and the District of Columbia have passed laws authorizing charter schools;
- Whereas more than 4,000 charter schools operating across the
United States serve more than 1,140,000 students;
- Whereas, over the last 13 years, Congress has provided more than $2,026,225,000 in support to the charter school movement;
- Whereas the eighth annual National Charter Schools Week, to be held April 30 through May 4, 2007, is an event sponsored by charter schools and grassroots charter school organizations across the United States to recognize the significant impacts, achievements, and innovations of charter schools:
- Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate acknowledges and commends charter schools and students, parents, teachers, and administrators of charter schools across the United States for their ongoing contributions to education and improving and strengthening the public school system; and supports the goals and ideals of the eighth annual National Charter Schools Week.
Legislative Outcome: Related bills: H.RES.344, H.RES.1168, S.RES.556; agreed to in Senate, by Unanimous Consent.
Source: S.RES.183 07-SR556 on May 1, 2007
Supports education vouchers for public or private school.
Vitter supports the CC survey question on school vouchers
The Christian Coalition voter guide [is] one of the most powerful tools Christians have ever had to impact our society during elections. This simple tool has helped educate tens of millions of citizens across this nation as to where candidates for public office stand on key faith and family issues.
The CC survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: "Education vouchers that allow parents to choose public or private school for their children"
Source: Christian Coalition Survey 10-CC-q7 on Aug 11, 2010
$110M per year to teach abstinence in public schools.
Vitter co-sponsored Abstinence Education Reallocation Act
Congressional Summary:Authorizes the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to award grants for qualified sexual risk avoidance education to youth and their parents. Requires such education to meet certain criteria, including:
- being age-appropriate, medically accurate, and evidence-based;
- teaching the skills and benefits of sexual abstinence as the optimal sexual health behavior for youth; and
- teaching the benefits of refraining from nonmarital sexual activity, the advantage of reserving sexual activity for marriage, and the foundational components of a healthy relationship.
Gives priority to programs that serve youth ages 12 to 19 and that will promote the protective benefits of parent-child communication regarding healthy sexual decisionmaking.Opponent's argument against bill: (Nick Wing on Huffington Post)
How much could it cost to keep teenagers from having sex? More than $100 million per year over the course of five years would be a good starting place, according to the Abstinence Education Reallocation Act. The bill seeks to award $550 million in Affordable Care Act grants over five years to programs that provide teenagers with abstinence-only education.
The abstinence-only effort stands as an effective counter to the Democratic-backed Real Education for Healthy Youth Act. Introduced the same day as the Abstinence Education Reallocation Act, the bill seeks to "expand comprehensive sex education programs in schools and ensure that federal funds are spent on effective, age-appropriate, medically accurate programs." The legislation would also set down guidelines calling for sexual health programs that receive federal funding to feature LGBT-inclusive language on a variety of issues, reject gender stereotypes and provide accurate information about HIV.
Source: S.13 / H.R.718 13-S0013 on Feb 15, 2013
Page last updated: Apr 15, 2020
