Press Coverage of Sen. Cruz’s ‘Education Opportunity Tour’

HOUSTON, Texas - Following the introduction of the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) launched an ‘Education Opportunity Tour' of Texas schools, workplaces, and college campuses in Houston, Rosenberg, and Austin. The bill would expand elementary, secondary, and vocational education opportunities for students by providing a federal tax credit to encourage individuals and businesses to donate to nonprofit scholarship funds.

Several news outlets covered Sen. Cruz's ‘Education Opportunity Tour.' Selected news coverage is below:

KRIV: (VIDEO) Sen. Cruz Promotes Education Bill
"The senator's visit here to Rosenberg, to Houston, and then on to Austin later this evening is all about jobs [...] the severe shortage of trade skills workers - the sort of things that make the world go around. And just along the Gulf Coast, for example, industry tells us they need a half a million of these people. This high-rise condo project near Rice Village employs more than 100 skilled workers. Each one of them, worth his weight in gold. ‘This is designed to give people tools to get that training,' Sen. Cruz said. Senator Cruz is promoting a new bill that would provide tax credits for individuals and businesses who donate to nonprofit scholarship funds. The money would go toward elementary, secondary, and vocational students to choose where they want to attend class. ‘The goal here really is to build a broad coalition in support of educational options and this bill has the potential to dramatically expand the educational options,' Sen. Cruz said."

KTRH: Senator Cruz and Education Opportunity
"United States Senator Ted Cruz was in town yesterday launching his Education Opportunity Tour. Cruz introduced the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act Bill (S.634) in February. The bill that will amend the internal revenue code of 1986 to allow a federal tax credit to those who donate to eligible scholarship-granting organizations. The program will belong to each individual state which allows education providers to be able to participate, without fear of federal control. The program would be run by each state and individual state participation is optional. It not only covers Kindergarten through 12th Grade - but also workplace training education scholarships for adults. Cruz says, "Every student has the fundamental right to a quality education which is the gateway to the American dream and stable, family-sustaining employment.'"

CW 39: (VIDEO) Sen. Cruz Kicks Off Education Opportunity Tour
"Senator Ted Cruz is kicking off his ‘Education Opportunity Tour' and it started with a visit to Houston and Fort Bend County. He visited Texas State Technical College yesterday promoting the bill he introduced in February to increase funding for technical education. Cruz said the Education Freedom Scholarship and Opportunity Act would ultimately bring in $100 billion over 10 years."

KXAN: (VIDEO) Senator Cruz Pitches Education Plan on Texas Tour
"The Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act would allow new federal tax credits for businesses and people to donate to scholarships to send kids to a variety of different schools. Sen. Cruz tells KXAN people would receive a dollar-for-dollar credit for donations to a state-identified scholarship granting organization. The bill would also, according to the release, allow states to create their own programs, according to individual state needs. Senator Ted Cruz met with business leaders at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank in downtown Austin who supports the legislation. Representatives from the Texas Association and Business and the National Federation of Independent Business met with Cruz in Austin. The policy - if passed - would allow businesses and individuals to donate to scholarships so families could choose which school to go to public, private, or a trade school. You'd write the donation off of your income taxes or your corporate taxes."

During the tour, Sen. Cruz appeared on several radio shows, including Dallas' Mark Davis Show, San Antonio's Jack Riccardi Show and Joe Pags Show, and Houston's Michael Berry Show, to highlight the importance of expanding opportunity for America's students and workforce development.

On the Mark Davis Show, Sen. Cruz highlighted the importance of investing new resources in the next generation of students, saying ‘helping kids get an education is the best economic development we can do for Texas.'

"I think this is a civil rights issue of the 21st century," Sen. Cruz said to Davis. "And Mark, you and I and all of us know, education is foundational to everything else. Every other challenge that we have in society--whether it's crime, whether it's healthcare, whether it's poverty, whether it's drug and alcohol abuse--if you get an education, many of those problems largely take care of themselves. On the other hand, if kids don't get an education, if they don't learn, if they don't get that foundation, we know that the odds of each of those problems following those kids and troubling them for the rest of their lives--the odds rise dramatically."

Sen. Cruz continued, "Helping kids get an education is the best economic development we can do for Texas. It's the best investment in the future of Texas. And it is, ultimately, it is providing hope and access for the American Dream to those kids who need and deserve it."

On the Jack Riccardi Show, Sen. Cruz highlighted the workforce development component of the bill, and the estimated $50 billion over 10 years in federal tax credits for contributions to scholarships for apprenticeships and vocational training.

"The other half of the legislation, as you just noticed, focused on vocational training, workforce development, apprenticeships," Sen. Cruz said to Riccardi. "$5 billion a year, or $50 billion over 10 years, in federal tax credits for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations that are giving scholarships for people to get training in the skilled trades. Whether you're going to work in construction, or as a plumber, or as an electrician or as a lineman or all of the different vocations, there are millions of adults that need that training. And the impact of all of this together for Texas would be tremendous for the future economic growth of the state of Texas."

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