Senate Panel Approves Betsy DeVos In 12-11 Vote

January 31, 2017 Christianists, Education

President Donald Trump’s nomination of Betsy DeVos to be education secretary was sent today to the full U.S. Senate for confirmation on a tight 12-11 party line vote in committee after a fractious debate over her qualifications.

The vote on the nomination of DeVos, a controversial figure in Michigan politics and education, raised hackles among Democrats in the Senate, who argued throughout a contentious hearing two weeks ago and today’s debate that she knows too little about federal education policy and would undermine public schools.

Republicans, in the majority in both the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the full Senate, defended her as being committed to children even if she has been a key supporter of school choice and vouchers — though two GOP members signaled that their votes in the committee today did not necessarily guarantee support on the Senate floor.

A vote for final confirmation in the Senate has not yet been scheduled. Immediately following the vote, Democrats moved to overturn the vote because a proxy vote in favor was made for U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, who was not in the committee room. A vote to overturn the vote was rejected after Hatch showed up in the committee room to effectively confirm the vote.

Betsy DeVos is a threat to our children’s future, which is why I will vote no on her nomination.

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 31, 2017

Senate committee just approved DeVos for education secretary, goes to floor. Call your senators now & tell them to #DumpDevos: 202-224-3121 pic.twitter.com/TGW14KHR0N

— FFRF (@FFRF) January 31, 2017