Lansing Update: Big Step Forward for Nationwide School Choice
Posted May 23, 2025
Congress Takes Big Step Toward Passing Nationwide School Choice Measure
Lower- and middle-income families across the country—including in Michigan—could be granted crucial funding to support their children’s education expenses at public and nonpublic schools under a wide-ranging federal spending bill approved by the full U.S. House of Representatives this week.
Critical components of the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA)—which is supported by Michigan Catholic Conference—were included in a catch-all congressional spending bill, paving the way for individuals who donate toward education choice scholarships to receive a 100% tax credit on their donation up to a certain limit.
The donations would be received by nonprofit scholarship-granting organizations, which would then use the donations to grant scholarships to lower- and middle-income families. The scholarships could be used for education expenses related to all types of school options—public or nonpublic schools, homeschooling, and more.
However, the portions of the ECCA included in the federal bill fell short of what the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and other advocates have been pushing for.
The total amount of funding set aside for ECCA scholarships nationwide was set at $5 billion, while the original proposal was for $10 billion. Under the original legislation, each state—including Michigan—would be guaranteed at least $20 million worth of funds if the scholarship-granting organizations can raise the money. That amount per state would be halved to $10 million under the proposal as passed by the House.
There is also language in the current version of the bill that could hinder the ability of Catholic schools to admit certain students funded with scholarships. USCCB will be working with allies to improve the ECCA components of this wide-ranging budget bill as work on it transfers to the U.S. Senate.
Beyond the ECCA language, the House-passed bill touches on numerous spending priorities and has been made into a catch-all piece of legislation intended to advance much of President Trump’s domestic policy agenda.
The USCCB has been following the legislation and has commented both for and against various portions related to Catholic interests in public policy, including the protection of human life, providing for the poor, supporting family life, care for immigrants and refugees, and more.
USCCB is continuing review of the most recent version of the bill and is expected to provide updated comments on suggestions to improve the legislation as it is taken up in the U.S. Senate, particularly with concerns around access to health insurance and food assistance for the poor.
Opportunities to contact Michigan congressional members to advocate for the bishops’ concerns in the federal legislation will be passed along to Lansing Update readers as they arise.
Note: In the May 2 edition of Lansing Update, it was reported that the ECCA legislation would create the scholarship-granting organizations, but the legislation would actually enact the opportunity for scholarship donors to receive a credit on their federal taxes.
MCC Warns of ‘Costly Litigation’ for People Praying Outside Abortion Clinics
Individuals who provide a peaceful and prayerful witness to life outside of abortion clinics could be swept into litigation under MCC-opposed legislation taken up by a Senate committee this week.
In written testimony submitted to the Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety Committee, MCC said it agreed with the intention of Senate Bills 154 and 155 in that no one should be threatened or intimidated by others for any reason.
However, MCC expressed concerns with the legislation because it “offers a misrepresentation of those who peacefully pray outside of the clinics and are available to offer women alternatives to abortion or other resources” and that those individuals “who peacefully pray or interact with women near abortion clinics could be forced into costly litigation to defend their Constitutional rights.”
In the testimony document, which was submitted in writing to the committee and also made available in the public record, MCC stated that “a survey of women who had abortions revealed that 87 percent of them would not have had their abortion if only one person would have helped them. This is the intent of those who pray at abortion clinics—to offer hope and help to women who want another option.”
The Senate legislation is intended to be a Michigan version of the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACES). It should be noted that 23 pro-life activists convicted under the federal FACES law were pardoned by President Trump earlier this year, whose administration has already said it will cease enforcement of the federal law barring “extraordinary circumstances” or in cases presenting “significant aggravating factors.”
MCC also pointed out the inconsistency of the Senate legislation, which omitted language included in the federal version that “protect people exercising their right to religious freedom at a place of religious worship, as well as the property of places of religious worship.”
The two bills, both of which were sponsored by Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak), received testimony only in the committee this week.
A Work of Mercy: Praying for the Dead This Memorial Day Weekend
During this Memorial Day weekend, remember that it is a work of mercy to pray for the dead, and to pray for those men and women who gave their lives in defense of this country.
The following prayer is from an unknown author, published at the website of Xavier University:
Gracious God,
On this Memorial Day, we pray for those who courageously laid down their lives for the cause of freedom. May the examples of their sacrifice inspire in us the selfless love of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Bless the families of our fallen troops, and fill their homes and their lives with Your strength and peace.
In union with people of goodwill of every nation, embolden us to answer the call to work for peace and justice, and thus, seek an end to violence and conflict around the globe.
We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.