Cardinal, USCCB call on Congress to support DC school-choice bill
April 28, 2016
Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, joined by the chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education, has called on Congress to pass legislation that provides scholarships for Washington’s low-income families to attend private schools, including Catholic schools.
The legislation, the Scholarship for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization Act of 2016 (HR 4901), is sponsored by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT). The Obama administration opposes the measure, but the city’s Democratic mayor supports it.
The program “has been an educational lifeline for nearly 6,400 children from low-income families since it began in the 2004-2005 school year,” said Cardinal Wuerl and Archbishop George Lucas. “The great success of the program is clearly demonstrated by its strong educational outcomes and parental satisfaction with the program.”
They added, “The Catholic Church unequivocally teaches that parents have the right and responsibility to serve as the primary educators of their children. To assist them in this sacred duty… the state has a fundamental obligation to support parents in fulfilling such a right.”
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Further information:
- Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop Lucas Support Reauthorization Of DC Scholarship Program (USCCB)
- Full text of letter (USCCB)
- Prelate: pass DC school-choice bill (CWN, 10/7/15)
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