KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Liz Ruskin/APRN
The U.S. Senate today (TUESDAY) voted to confirm Betsy DeVos as Education secretary. DeVos is the only one President Trump’s cabinet nominees so far to face serious trouble on the Senate floor.
Senators were evenly divided, 50 to 50, and Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaker in favor of confirmation. Alaska’s two senators were split. Like the body as a whole, Alaska’s senators were evenly split. Sen. Lisa Murkowski was one of two Republicans to vote against DeVos, while Sen. Dan Sullivan voted for her confirmation.
Murkowski said the nominee did not know enough about public schools to fix their shortcomings. Sullivan, though, says DeVos convinced him she cares about the education of all students.
DeVos, a billionaire and frequent political contributor, has been active on the issue of school choice. Critics say she would undermine public education by sending tax dollars to private schools.
