WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos was confirmed Tuesday in an historic tie vote that was broken by Vice President Mike Pence's support.
Teachers unions pushed hard to block DeVos, concerned that her past supporting non-government schools could weaken their control of schools and taxpayers pocketbooks.
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner voiced his support for DeVos, as did former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who released a statement after the Senate vote. Bush now leads the Foundation for Excellence in Education.
“I congratulate Betsy DeVos on her confirmation as our nation’s next Secretary of Education. The President made an excellent choice to lead the Department of Education, Bush said.“Millions of families share Secretary DeVos’s vision for disrupting a failed status quo that has denied too many children access to a quality education. It’s time to upend the entrenched special interests that put adults above genuine reforms that will raise student achievement.
“I hope the senators who opposed Secretary DeVos’s nomination will now put aside the tired arguments of the unions and come together to prioritize the needs of students.
“Under Secretary DeVos’s leadership, I am confident the federal government will loosen its grip on our education system and return power to the states and parents where it rightfully belongs.”
