Washington -- The House was scheduled to vote on a bill to reauthorize No Child Left Behind (H.R. 5), introduced by Rep. John Kline (R-MN), but that vote has been postponed. According to reports, "cracks" had begun to form within the GOP and those were exacerbated by the Rules Committee's refusal to allow several important amendments. Heritage Action released the following statement from chief executive officer Michael A. Needham:
"Over the past few days, a very healthy debate on the future of elementary and secondary education bubbled to the surface. Moving forward, a new bill should eliminate programs and mandates, allow for full Title I portability and enable states to opt out. Not only would that type of bill draw a clear contrast with the progressives' failed big-government education agenda, but it would remove archaic obstacles that have prevented true opportunity for all."