Anti-CRT Amendment Added to $3.5 Trillion Federal Spending Bill

David Randall

The Civics Alliance and the National Association of Scholars are delighted to learn that Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) has successfully introduced an amendment to prevent federal funds from being used to promote Critical Race Theory (CRT) in pre-K and K-12 schools. The amendment passed the Senate on a 50-49 vote. Its supporters included every Republican Senator and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV).

This amendment applies to the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package promoted by the Democratic leadership that is now moving through Congress. The amendment is therefore unlikely to become part of a final budget reconciliation package, but it signals the strength of CRT opponents.

That declaration of the anti-CRT movement’s strength matters enormously. The Senate of the United States has now made clear that a majority opposes CRT in our public pre-K and K-12 schools. Their vote is a warning shot to the practical-minded allies of the ideologues fomenting CRT. It will rightly give courage to state policymakers and to ordinary citizens around the nation. It gives energy to political campaigns that oppose CRT, among candidates for school boards, for state legislative seats, for governorships—and for every federal election.

We especially commend Sen. Manchin for his support of the bill. We know that it is always easier to vote along party lines and that he has resisted considerable pressure to join in this vote. Sen. Manchin, by this vote, has done a great service for the people of West Virginia and for the nation. We call on all Americans to let the Senator how much they appreciate his vote.

The greatest credit, of course, must go to Senator Cotton. He has been stalwart in publicizing the dangers of CRT and in introducing bills to oppose it. Now he has assembled a political coalition that has won a signal victory in an actual vote on the Senate floor. Americans are indebted to his vision, his initiative, and his tactical skill. We call on all Americans to let the Senator know how grateful they are to him for this legislative work.

There is far more work to be done to remove Critical Race Theory from our nation’s schools, in school districts, statehouses, and Washington, D.C. Every Senator who voted for this amendment has contributed appreciably to that long campaign. We thank them all, and call on all Americans to do likewise.


Photo by ElevenPhotographs on Unsplash

  • Share

Most Commented

January 8, 2025

1.

NAS Condemns the AHA's “Scholasticide” Resolution

The National Association of Scholars condemns the “Resolution to Oppose Scholasticide in Gaza,” which the members of the American Historical Association passed by 428 t......

January 27, 2025

2.

Exclusive Documents: UC-Boulder Breaks Civil Rights Law to Advance Racial Preferences

New FOIA documents grant a window into how the University of Colorado-Boulder, in the name of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, discriminates on the basis of protected class and upholds a co......

February 13, 2025

3.

The Grown Ups are Back: On Gender, Trump Replaces Confusion and Chaos with Clarity and Common Sense

With this administration, the grown ups are back: Trump is replacing confusion and chaos with clarity and common sense—not just for women’s sports but also for America....

Most Read

May 15, 2015

1.

Where Did We Get the Idea That Only White People Can Be Racist?

A look at the double standard that has arisen regarding racism, illustrated recently by the reaction to a black professor's biased comments on Twitter....

October 12, 2010

2.

Ask a Scholar: What is the True Definition of Latino?

What does it mean to be Latino? Are only Latin American people Latino, or does the term apply to anyone whose language derived from Latin?...

May 26, 2010

3.

10 Reasons Not to Go to College

A sampling of arguments for the idea that college may not be for everyone....