Vice President Pence Casts Historic Vote to Confirm Betsy DeVos

Betsy DeVos

Friends,

Today, I cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education: Betsy DeVos.

The vote the President asked me to cast wasn’t just for Betsy – it was also for America’s future.

Our nation’s success depends on the education of our students. In Betsy DeVos, we have one of America’s foremost advocates for educational opportunity and excellence.

For nearly three decades she has devoted her time, her talent, and her treasure to ensure that every child in America has the best shot at a better life. Countless students have benefitted from her efforts to promote an educational marketplace defined by innovation, opportunity, and real, meaningful choice.

The President and I agree that our children’s futures should not be determined by their zip code. Students should not be trapped in a system that puts the status quo ahead of a child’s success.

Betsy DeVos will have great impact as Secretary of Education. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a public school, a private school, a parochial school, a charter school, or any other kind of school – she will help ensure that every student has access to a good school.

We are grateful to Senate Majority Leader McConnell and all the Republican Senators who stood with us on this important vote.

The President is fully committed to this mission. Today’s vote was the first of its kind in our nation’s history, but the real history will be made through our unwavering dedication to America’s children – and to America’s future.

Thank you for all your help and support.

Sincerely,

Michael R. Pence
Vice President of the United States 

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WATCH: The Prime Minister’s Commons statement: “We can together make a success of this moment”

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Teresa Pearce responds to NAO report on 100 per cent business rate retention scheme

Teresa Pearce, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local
Government, responding to the National Audit Office report on the 100 per cent
business rate retention scheme, said:

“Today’s report confirms what we have long suspected: the
Government is playing dangerous games with local government finances, and in
turn, is putting our vital public services in jeopardy.

“The NAO have stated that implementing 100 per cent business
rates retention before the Government’s Fair Funding Review has been published
will result in an untested and potentially unfair system being imposed on
already struggling councils. In the context of seven years of brutal and
relentless cuts to local government, that is a risk that councils cannot
afford. That is why Labour has continually called for 100 per cent
business rate retention to be delayed until after the Fair Funding Review is
complete.

“The report also finds that the research has not been
done into whether business rate retention is genuinely driving economic growth,
and the resources do not exist to do so sufficiently. As it stands, this scheme
is ideologically-driven but lacks any solid evidence base. 

“Local government is facing a £5.8billion funding gap by 2020.
There is a national crisis in social care with 1.2million frail elderly people
and one in five vulnerable disabled people being left lonely and isolated. Libraries,
youth centres and Sure Start centres have closed. Child protection services are
creaking, and homelessness is rising. Public services provided by local
councils are the lifeblood of our communities and the Government must think
more carefully before implementing these potentially catastrophic changes.”



The Government should tackle ‘burning injustices’ many young people face & get on with helping young people find a job – Debbie Abrahams

Debbie
Abrahams MP, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, commenting on
the Work and Pensions Select Committee’s report on the youth obligation, said:

“The
current headline employment figures mask shocking barriers faced by some groups
in our society trying to find a job. Sadly there is even evidence of direct
discrimination.”

“The
Government’s own statistics show a wide gap in employment between different
regions, and the evidence points to major disadvantages faced by women, BME
groups and disabled people.”

“The
Government should stop patting themselves on the back, fix their broken
Universal Credit roll out, tackle the ‘burning injustices’ many young people
face and get on with helping young people find a job.”  



WATCH: Tusk’s response to the Article 50 letter. “What can I add to this? We already miss you.”

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