Senate Democrats say House must cut education money from war spending bill
By Ted Barrett and Deirdre Walsh/CNN
Senate Democratic leaders have concluded that the only way to pass critical war-funding before the fast-approaching August congressional recess is for the House to drop its insistence that the measure include billions of dollars for unrelated domestic programs, a top Senate Democratic leadership aide told CNN. The extra money, which includes funds to help cash-strapped states avoid teacher layoffs, has drawn fire from Republicans who complain it's a giveaway to the teachers' unions. The White House, which doesn't oppose giving states money for teachers, also objects to the House legislation because it pays for the teacher initiative by cutting funding from President Obama's "Race to the Top" education reform program. (more...)