David Weldon: “this morning I attended a press conference held by Jim Talent and J.C. Watts to announce a community renewal project…”

“this morning I attended a press conference held by Jim Talent and J.C. Watts to announce a community renewal project that will empower low-income communities. This bill was formulated and designed by the communities that it will effect. Congress went to the community leaders and asked them what will help them in their renewal projects. This initiative is what came out of those conversations. I want to first of all commend Jim Talent and J.C. Watts for meeting with these community leaders and for listening to them as they formulated the legislation that will help these communities to become strong. A major component of this empowerment initiative is title II, which allows these communities to implement school choice. Not surprisingly, most of these community leaders made school choice a top priority in their list of essential components for the renewal of their communities. According to the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, 70 percent of low-income parents, who were aware of school choice opportunities, were supportive of school scholarships for their children.”