Statement By State Rep Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa)Regarding Sen. Edward's visit to Milwaukee

George W. Bush ^ | July 23, 2004

[RWR8189]

MILWAUKEE, WI –State Representative Leah Vukmir (R- Wauwatosa) issued the following statement on John Kerry's running mate's visit to Milwaukee.

"John Kerry is ranked the Senate's most out of the mainstream member, but he came to Wisconsin a few weeks ago and said 'life begins at conception,' talked about his shot gun, and claimed to embrace 'conservative values.' He even explained his vote for the Northeast Dairy Compact by saying he was trying to help his Massachusetts constituents despite the fact that he proposed expanding the price controls to regions across the country. Wisconsinites aren't going to trust someone who won't give straight answers on the issues that matter.

"John Kerry called the President's No Child Left Behind legislation 'groundbreaking' when he voted for it, but shifted his position with the political winds and now attacks it on the campaign trail. Maybe Kerry's running mate will follow Kerry's pattern of telling audiences what he thinks they want to hear when he visits Milwaukee and come out in favor of school choice. Milwaukee's school choice system is the most successful in the country and is helping thousands of students learn. I hope Kerry's running mate stays in Milwaukee long enough to see how injecting competition into our school system has benefited our inner city students."

State Rep Vukmir is the Vice Chair of the State Assembly's Education Reform Committee

John Kerry Has Consistently Opposed School Choice

• In 2001, Kerry Voted Against Allowing Public School Children To Use Vouchers To Transfer To Another Public School, Charter School Or Private School.
• In 1998, Kerry Voted Against An Amendment Which Allowed Federal Funds To Be Spent On School Vouchers For Public School Children Who Have Been Victims Of Violent Crimes On School Property.
• In 1998, Kerry Voted For An Amendment Which Prohibited Federal Funding Of Vouchers For Public School Children.
• In 1997, Kerry Voted Against Educational Scholarships To Allow Low-Income K-12 Students From The District Of Columbia To Attend Private Schools Or Public Schools In Virginia Or Maryland Suburbs.
• In 1994, Kerry Voted Against The Educate America Act To Authorize $30 Million For Six Low-Income School Choice Demonstration Programs. The amendment would have allowed some poor children to attend private schools at public expense.
• As President, Kerry Would Veto "Vouchers Or Voucher-Like Programs." "[Vouchers] don't reform our public schools – they run away from them. … I have never supported vouchers. I will never support them. And if it ever comes to my desk, I'll veto vouchers or voucher-like programs the day that bill arrives." (Sen. John Kerry, Remarks In Council Bluffs, IA, 11/25/03)