The United States Senate has narrowly approved Betsy DeVos to lead the federal Department of Education. DeVos will join President Donald Trump’s new cabinet. Cabinet members are among the president’s closest advisers. The president nominates them, but they need congressional approval before taking office. As the secretary of education, DeVos will oversee the nation’s schools. She will also assist the president with education policy and legislation. If that job description sounds relatively simple, the path to DeVos’ congressional approval was not. She has been one of Trump’s most controversial cabinet choices if not the most. One reason is that DeVos says she wants to reduce the federal government’s involvement in education. Historically, the federal government has played a major part in directing the nation’s public school system. Public schools are free for all students and have a fairly standard education curriculum. About 100,000 primary and secondary schools nationwide are public. About 35,000 are private -- meaning students have to pay to attend classes. DeVos says she would like to give more power over education to states and to parents. At her confirmation hearing, she said she wants to move away from “what the system thinks is best for kids to what moms and dads want, expect and deserve.” For example, instead of the local public school, some parents may want to send their child to a private same-sex school, one that provides training a certain foreign language, or one based on their religious beliefs. DeVos seeks to use public school money to support the choice. Some supporters of DeVos say she will bring needed competition to public education. They say her vision for school choice will also give students from poor families the same opportunities as those from richer families. Critics say DeVos’ plans will harm public schools and the students who depend on them especially students in rural areas or those who have a disability. Critics also point to her lack of firsthand experience of the public school system. DeVos did not attend public schools or send her children to them. She has also never been a teacher or school administrator. Instead, she is a wealthy philanthropist, a major donor to members of Trump’s Republican Party, and a 30-year advocate for alternative choices to public education, especially Christian schools. The controversy around DeVos’ confirmation was clear in Tuesday's vote. After arguing against DeVos on the Senate floor for 24 consecutive hours, all 48 Democrats opposed her, along with two Republicans from rural states. The other 50 Republicans supported her. The final vote was split, 50-50. Fortunately, the U.S. Constitution has a way to deal with this problem. It says that if senators are “equally divided,” the vice president makes the deciding vote. In this case, Vice President Mike Pence supported Trump’s choice and voted in favor of DeVos. The Associate Press notes that the Senate historian says this is the first time a vice president has had to break a tie in a Cabinet nomination.
Title: Vice President Breaks Senate Tie to Approve New Secretary of Education
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/devos_approved.m4a' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Vice President Breaks Senate Tie to Approve New Secretary of Education' data-article-id='2189'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='8833'>The United States Senate has narrowly approved Betsy DeVos to lead the federal Department of Education.</span> <span data-start-time='8833' data-end-time='13979'>DeVos will join President Donald Trump’s new cabinet.</span> <span data-start-time='13979' data-end-time='19063'>Cabinet members are among the president’s closest advisers.</span> <span data-start-time='19063' data-end-time='26417'>The president nominates them, but they need congressional approval before taking office.</span> <span data-start-time='26417' data-end-time='32938'>As the secretary of education, DeVos will oversee the nation’s schools.</span> <span data-start-time='32938' data-end-time='39625'>She will also assist the president with education policy and legislation.</span> <span data-start-time='39625' data-end-time='48688'>If that job description sounds relatively simple, the path to DeVos’ congressional approval was not.</span> <span data-start-time='48688' data-end-time='56583'>She has been one of Trump’s most controversial cabinet choices if not the most.</span> <span data-start-time='56583' data-end-time='64813'>One reason is that DeVos says she wants to reduce the federal government’s involvement in education.</span> <span data-start-time='64813' data-end-time='73417'>Historically, the federal government has played a major part in directing the nation’s public school system.</span> <span data-start-time='73417' data-end-time='81521'>Public schools are free for all students and have a fairly standard education curriculum.</span> <span data-start-time='81521' data-end-time='88229'>About 100,000 primary and secondary schools nationwide are public.</span> <span data-start-time='88229' data-end-time='96042'>About 35,000 are private -- meaning students have to pay to attend classes.</span> <span data-start-time='96042' data-end-time='104625'>DeVos says she would like to give more power over education to states and to parents.</span> <span data-start-time='104625' data-end-time='118729'>At her confirmation hearing, she said she wants to move away from “what the system thinks is best for kids to what moms and dads want, expect and deserve.”</span> <span data-start-time='118729' data-end-time='134917'>For example, instead of the local public school, some parents may want to send their child to a private same-sex school, one that provides training a certain foreign language, or one based on their religious beliefs.</span> <span data-start-time='134917' data-end-time='140146'>DeVos seeks to use public school money to support the choice.</span> <span data-start-time='140146' data-end-time='147479'>Some supporters of DeVos say she will bring needed competition to public education.</span> <span data-start-time='147479' data-end-time='159979'>They say her vision for school choice will also give students from poor families the same opportunities as those from richer families.</span> <span data-start-time='159979' data-end-time='173125'>Critics say DeVos’ plans will harm public schools and the students who depend on them especially students in rural areas or those who have a disability.</span> <span data-start-time='173125' data-end-time='180250'>Critics also point to her lack of firsthand experience of the public school system.</span> <span data-start-time='180250' data-end-time='185813'>DeVos did not attend public schools or send her children to them.</span> <span data-start-time='185813' data-end-time='190563'>She has also never been a teacher or school administrator.</span> <span data-start-time='190563' data-end-time='207688'>Instead, she is a wealthy philanthropist, a major donor to members of Trump’s Republican Party, and a 30-year advocate for alternative choices to public education, especially Christian schools.</span> <span data-start-time='207688' data-end-time='214104'>The controversy around DeVos’ confirmation was clear in Tuesday's vote.</span> <span data-start-time='214104' data-end-time='227854'>After arguing against DeVos on the Senate floor for 24 consecutive hours, all 48 Democrats opposed her, along with two Republicans from rural states.</span> <span data-start-time='227854' data-end-time='231667'>The other 50 Republicans supported her.</span> <span data-start-time='231667' data-end-time='235354'>The final vote was split, 50-50.</span> <span data-start-time='235354' data-end-time='241625'>Fortunately, the U.S. Constitution has a way to deal with this problem.</span> <span data-start-time='241625' data-end-time='249458'>It says that if senators are “equally divided,” the vice president makes the deciding vote.</span> <span data-start-time='249458' data-end-time='258292'>In this case, Vice President Mike Pence supported Trump’s choice and voted in favor of DeVos.</span> <span data-start-time='258292' data-end-time='269854'>The Associate Press notes that the Senate historian says this is the first time a vice president has had to break a tie in a Cabinet nomination.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/devos_approved.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=8075 data-hint-location='48688' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/what_does_controversial_mean.m4a'>What does controversial mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='causing disagreement'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/lack_of_experience.m4a'><span>lack of experience</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/causing_disagreement.m4a'><span>causing disagreement</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/oversee_schools.m4a'><span>oversee schools</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/senate_confirmation.m4a'><span>senate confirmation</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=8076 data-hint-location='241625' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/how_does_the_senate_break_a_tie.m4a'>How does the Senate break a tie?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Vice President vote'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/vice_president_vote.m4a'><span>Vice President vote</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/donate_money.m4a'><span>donate money</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/flip_a_coin.m4a'><span>flip a coin</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/take_another_vote.m4a'><span>take another vote</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=8077 data-hint-location='140146' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/she_will_bring__blank__to_public_education.m4a'>She will bring <span class='blank'>competition</span> to public education.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='competition'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/leadership.m4a'><span>leadership</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/experience.m4a'><span>experience</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/poor_families.m4a'><span>poor families</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/competition.m4a'><span>competition</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
Sound Name: https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1670/devos_approved.m4a
Preview
