WASHINGTON—
At the urging of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Congress passed a new bill designating hundreds of dollars to helping schools safely reopen in the fall. “This bipartisan effort to keep our kids safe earmarks $247 for states to use at their discretion, as long as it goes to safety and sanitation measures,” DeVos explained. “Some states might not even need the roughly $5 if they push back their start date, or switch to virtual school, but it’s there just in case.”
“This ‘Teachers Are Heroes And Caretakers Bill’ sends a proud message to the nation and to the world what the United States Congress can accomplish when our feet are to the fire,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a press statement. “The THC Bill will give states the freedom to choose how to spend these funds, and we are grateful to be able to show our heroes what they are worth.”
There will also be a watchdog group assigned to each state as an extra measure of accountability to ensure there is no frivolous spending.
By Emily Sanchez