Congressional Republicans are raising questions about a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report that estimates only $6 billion President Joe Biden‘s proposed $180 billion to help reopen K-12 schools would be spent in 2021 and the remaining amount would be spent through 2028.
During a weekly press conference on Thursday, Pelosi was asked, “How do you square that with the need to open schools with the funding when so much of it is down the road?”
“I don’t place too much weight on what the Republicans say, even though it seems to be of value to you to use as a question,” Pelosi responded.
She continued, “The fact is, is that this the money that is needed… The $130 billion in K-12 will help provide immediate relief to schools so they can safely reopen for in-person instruction and address the difficult multi-year challenges making up lost time in the classroom.”
Pelosi described the “learning loss” caused by school closures as “heartbreaking for children.”
Watch he video below:
.@SpeakerPelosi: "I don't place too much weight on what the Republicans say…"
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 18, 2021
Full video here: https://t.co/cspWJVUZa2 pic.twitter.com/WrwugUQDyM
The California Democrat also noted that schools are “largely funded” by state and local governments and argued that another reason is why Congress should pass a relief bill that gives aid to state and local governments.
Biden’s bill contains a $170 billion provision aimed at helping schools reopen for in-person learning safely. His bill would provide $130 billion for K-12 schools and $35 billion for public colleges and universities.
Democrats expect the House to vote on Biden’s relief package next week.
The CBO explained that it estimates only $6 billion of Biden’s proposed funds would be spent this year is because there are still unspent funds from previous relief packages.
The CBO said, “Because most of those funds remain to be spent, CBO anticipates that the bulk of spending of funds provided in the reconciliation recommendations would occur after 2021.”
A White House official told Fox News that the Biden administration would not base its decisions on how to allocate funds for schools based on the CBO’s report.
