U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. and Congressman Adrian Smith introduced the Educational Choice for Children Act, bicameral legislation to expand education freedom and opportunity for students. Specifically, it provides a charitable donation incentive for individuals and businesses to fund scholarship awards for students to cover expenses related to K-12 public and private education.

The Educational Choice for Children Act:

• Provides $10 billion in annual tax credits to be made available to taxpayers. Allotment of these credits to individuals would be administered by the Treasury Department. A base amount will be set for each state and then the credits are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• Uses a limited government approach with respect to federalism, thus avoiding mandates on states, localities, and school districts.
• Includes provisions that govern Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs), as SGOs are given the ability to determine the individual amount of scholarship awards.
• An estimated two million students in any elementary or secondary education setting, including homeschool, are eligible to receive a scholarship. Eligible use of scholarships awards includes tuition, fees, book supplies, and equipment for the enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary school.

The Educational Choice for Children Act has received the endorsement of the Invest in Education Coalition, American Federation for Children, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Heritage Action, Home School Legal Defense Association, Agudath Israel, Orthodox Union, Association of Christian Schools International, CAPE, Excel in Education, and former U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.

“We encourage lawmakers, Republican and Democratic, to put a bipartisan stamp on the common-sense policy that is at the heart of this bill: assisting parents to access the learning environment and the educational benefits that are best suited for their children, and that will enhance educational achievement for all of America’s students. We call for its favorable consideration and passage by both House and Senate,” said Rabbi Abba Cohen, Vice President of Government Affairs and Washington Director of Agudath Israel of America.

Senate cosponsors include Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Barrasso (R-WY), Tim Scott (R-SC), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Rick Scott (R-FL), Todd Young (R-IN), John Boozman (R-AR), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Katie Britt (R-AL).

House cosponsors include Representatives Burgess Owens (R-UT-04), Mike Kelly (R-PA-03), Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21), Virginia Foxx (R-NC-05), Rudy Yakym (R-IN-02), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA-14), Jim Jordan (R-OH-04), Patrick McHenry (R-NC-10), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), Michelle Steel (R-CA-45), Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24), Rick Allen (R-GA-12), Mike Flood (R-NE-01), Russell Fry (R-SC-07), Erin Houchin (R-IN-09), Jake LaTurner (R-KS-02), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Julia Letlow (R-LA-05), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA-11), Nancy Mace (R-SC-01), Dan Meuser (R-PA-09), John Moolenaar (R-MI-02), John Rutherford (R-FL-05), Maria Salazar (R-FL-27), Joe Wilson (R-SC-02).