Indiana Daily Student
REGION
Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017 idsnews.com
Editors Sarah Gardner and Melanie Metzman region@idsnews.com
7
Gorsuch selected as Supreme Court nominee By Sarah Gardner and Melanie Metzman gardnese@indiana.edu @sarahhhgardner mmetzman@indiana.edu @melanie_metzman
President Donald Trump has selected Neil Gorsuch as his nomination for a position as a Supreme Court justice. After the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016, former President Barack Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland, was declined a hearing by Senate Republicans. “When Justice Scalia passed away suddenly last February, I made a promise to the American people,” Trump said during his announcement Tuesday night. “If elected, I would find the very best judge in the country for the Supreme Court.” Gorsuch was one of three finalists for the nomination. The other two finalists were William Pryor and Thomas Hardiman. Gorsuch, 49, is currently a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He is considered by many in the judicial community to be philosophically similar to Scalia. “As this confirmation process moves forward in the Senate, I look forward to speaking with members on both sides of the aisle,” Gorsuch said. “I consider the U.S. Senate the most important deliberative body in the world.” He was nominated by
former President George W. Bush in 2006 for his current position. Gorsuch is the youngest Supreme Court nominee in about 25 years, according to ABC News. Gorsuch was born in Denver and moved to Washington, D.C., as a teenager. He earned his bachelor of arts from Columbia University; graduated Harvard Law School, where he received the Truman Scholarship; and obtained a doctorate of philosophy in law from Oxford University, where he received a Marshall Scholarship. While at Columbia, he helped to found a newspaper, the Federalist, and a magazine, the Morningside Review. He is considered an advocate for originalism, the idea that the Constitution should be interpreted as the Founding Fathers would have more than 200 years ago, and of “extualism, the idea that statutes should be interpreted literally, according to NPR. Grosuch is also a strong defender of the “Free Exercise Clause,” which says Congress cannot make laws regarding religion and the freedom of religious expression. He sided with Christian religious organizations and employers in the cases of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby in 2014 and Zubik v. Burwell in 2016. Burwell v. Hobby Law was a Supreme Court case focused on whether
TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
President Trump announces Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil M. Gorsuch in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.
employers should be required to pay for female employees’ contraceptives under Obama’s health care law. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby and said closely held for-profit companies are exempt from a law its owners religiously
Pre-K expansion passed by education committee Alexa Chryssovergis aachryss@indiana.edu @achryssovergis
Debate about charter schools and school vouchers — hot topics in recent years — dominated much of a state house education committee hearing Tuesday that stretched from 8:30 a.m. into the early evening. Indiana Democratic and Republican representatives discussed several education-related bills on which they agreed in general premise and mission but clashed regarding specifics. The committee passed three bills Tuesday despite protests and failed amendments suggested by Democratic representatives. A majority of the hearing was taken up by public testimony for and discussion of amendments to House Bill 1004, a bill authored by Committee Chairman Rep. Robert Behning, R-Indianapolis. The bill passed 9-4, with dissenters saying the bill in its current state is not ready and failed amendments should be revisited on the full House floor. The bill would expand an already existing pre-K grant program, “On My Way Pre-K, “from its current five counties to a total of 10 counties. “I know that pre-K does make a difference in kids’ lives,” Behning said in his bill pitch. “It’s something that we need to embrace.” While apparently no Democrats, Republicans and testifiers — such as teachers, union officials and public education advocates — in the committee hearing disagreed with Behning on the necessity of the program, conflict arose regarding vouchers. A voucher is money from the state that helps pay for a student to attend a school of their choice. HB 1004 contains language that intertwines the pre-K grant program with a K-12 private school voucher program. The bill provides what Behning referred to as a “seamless provider network” into the K-12 voucher program. It ensures students who receive a grant from “On My Way Pre-K” could continue their education with the assistance of a private school voucher in the future.
A sister bill, Senate Bill 276, in the Senate is the same as HB 1004 minus this voucher provision. Linda Robb, a retired public school instructor and law practitioner, said the bill is an irresponsible funding decision because the future cost of vouchers cannot yet be accurately estimated, so the legislature shouldn’t promise them to students. “I’m not here to argue the demerits of a voucher system, which is out of control, and I’m not here to discuss how I believe there is a blurred line between government and religion with vouchers,” Robb said. “I’m just asking the legislature to be sensible and keep it simple.” The committee took a recess around 1 p.m. and reconvened a little after 5 p.m. to hear testimony on an additional bill that will be discussed during Thursday’s hearing and to vote on amendments to 1004. There was confusion about whether the bill expands eligibility for the voucher scholarship. Behning said it does not — if a student is income-eligible as a preschooler, they must remain income eligible in 1st grade, 2nd grade and so on. All eventually agreed that with the voucher language, the bill adds a new avenue through which a child can become involved in the scholarship program. Rep. Ed Delaney, DIndianapolis, introduced an amendment to strike the language allowing this from HB 1004, but it failed on party lines. Delaney put forth another amendment that would have encouraged expansion of the pilot to a statewide rollout program, but Behning said this move would kill the bill immediately in the Senate, and the amendment failed. Another bill, which concerns charter school accountability, was also intensely debated Thursday. House Bill 1328 passed 7-4 with complete partisan split within the committee. While Democrats in the committee agreed it moves in the right direction in holding charters accountable to more standards within the state, they were concerned with several provisions in the bill.
“Are charter schools public schools? How do I, as a legislator, help direct a state educational policy if I create a set of schools not under the state educational policy?” Rep. Ed Delaney D-Indianapolis, state education committee
Namely, Delaney was apprehensive about a proposed amendment that essentially states charter schools would not fall under the umbrella of the Indiana Department of Education but would instead be overseen and advised by a separate charter board. “Are charter schools public schools?” Delaney asked. “How do I, as a legislator, help direct a state educational policy if I create a set of schools not under the state educational policy?” Charter schools are public schools. They are publicly funded by taxpayers but privately-run. They are an enticing option for parents who support school choice and would like their children to have the ability to experience specific teaching styles and methods not explored in public education, but they have met with controversy in recent years from opponents who say they cater to the wealthy and exclude disabled students. Opponents also complain those who run charter schools are not submitted to the same rigorous standards and scrutiny as public schools. Democrats reiterated this complaint during the hearing. Other Democrats in the committee echoed Delaney’s concern regarding language in the bill that separates authority for the Indiana Charter School Board from the Indiana Department of Education. Rep. Vernon Smith, DGary, echoed Delaney’s sentiment — separating management of charter schools could create disagreeing standards. “We’re going in the direction where we’re going to have a dual system going,” Smith said. “I think it’s dangerous.”
object to. Zubik v. Burwell was a case that appeared before the Supreme Court on whether religious institutions other than churches should be exempt from the contraceptive mandate under “Obamacare.” In May 2016, the Supreme Court
vacated the Court of Appeals ruling and returned the cases to their courts of appeals for reconsideration. Gorsuch is also the author of “The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia,” which looks at the legal and ethical dilemmas surrounding assisted suicides.
In the book, he concludes that any form of euthanasia should not be legalized, according to ABC News. If his nomination is confirmed, Gorsuch would reestablish a 5-4 split on the Supreme Court between conservative and liberal justices.
ICYMI: Transportation, education nominees advance By Melanie Metzman mmetzman@indiana.edu @melanie_metzman
Elaine Chao was confirmed as Secretary of Transportation by the Senate Tuesday with a 93-6 vote. Chao immigrated to America from Taiwan when she was eight-years-old and spoke no English. She went on the graduate from Harvard Business School. She has previously worked as assistant secretary of Transportation and was appointed secretary of Labor by former president George W. Bush. Chao is married to Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell-R Ky. Sen. Todd Young-R In. released a statement expressing his support for Chao. “’The Crossroads of America’ is more than just a moniker for the state of Indiana,” Young said in a press release. “If we are to remain a main logistics and manufacturing economy, our state will need additional infrastructure investments. Secretary Chao’s previous experience as Secretary of Labor and leading various non-profits will be invaluable experience in ensuring the Department of Transportation runs smoothly and
TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
President Donald Trump with Betsy DeVos, whom Trump has chosen as his secretary of education, on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016 in Bedminster, N.J.
efficiently. I was proud to support her nomination and am confident her work will provide tangible benefits to the Hoosier state.” * * * The Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions approved Betsy DeVos’s nomination to lead the Department of Education on Tuesday. DeVos was confirmed with a 12-11 vote along party lines. Her nomination will now go to the Senate floor, where she will need a majority to be confirmed. Trump meets with pharmaceutical industry Trump met with pharmaceutical executives in the Oval Office on Tuesday
to inform them if they bring production back to the U.S., he will lower regulations on their businesses. Trump said the companies have done a “terrific job over the years,” but prices for drugs must come down, according to CNN. Executives from Merck & Co. and Johnson & Johnson were present at the meeting. “So you have to get your companies back here. We have to make products ... We have to get rid of a tremendous number of regulations,” Trump said in the meeting. “I know you have some problems where you cannot even think about opening up new plants. You can’t get approval for the plant and then you can’t get approval to make the drugs.”
Take classes that TRANSFER to IU! Second 8-week classes start March 20. Average class size is 22. Cost per credit hour is $135. Parking is free. Popular classes include: ECON-E202 Macroeconomics ECON-E201 Microeconomics ENGL-W131 English Composition FINA-A101 Ancient and Medieval Art HIST-H105 American History I MATH-M118 Finite Mathematics PHIL-P140 Introduction to Ethics POLS-Y103 Introduction to American Politics SOC-S100 Introduction to Sociology
More than 200 classes transfer to IU and online options are available. ivytech.edu/guest | (812) 330-6013 | 200 Daniels Way, Bloomington