1. United States
2. S.C.
3. Letter

As a constituent, I urge you to support and cosponsor the Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act to repeal the national tax-credit voucher program created by H.R. 1, the reconciliation bill passed last summer. The program is set to launch on January 1, 2027. Individuals would receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of up to $1,700 per year—far more valuable than the usual deduction for charitable contributions—in exchange for giving money to an intermediary organization, which then funnels the money to private schools as tuition. If allowed to take effect, the voucher program will divert billions of dollars to private and religious schools, weakening the public schools that educate 9 out of every 10 students. Entire communities will suffer, especially in rural areas where 20 percent of our students live and public schools are economic centers. Private schools do not provide the same protections public schools are required to provide by law—Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Special needs students will lose important legal rights and protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. America cannot afford to fund two education systems—one private and one public. It should be a federal priority to strengthen public education, not undermine it. Please support and cosponsor the Keep Public Funds in Public Schools Act to ensure that taxpayer dollars go to public schools open to all students, not private schools that can pick and choose their students.