It appears that the House version of the bill will be split up. The Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight will hold hearings on October 28 on the performance of existing Enterprise Zone and Community Empowerment Zone programs. While the hearing is not intended to evaluate the proposals in this year's bill themselves, the goal of the hearings in part is to establish benchmarks for evaluating future community renewal programs such as those embodied in the bill. While Ways and Means moves cautiously, the word is that the Education and Workforce Committee will consider the school voucher and choice provisions in a markup hearing scheduled for October 22. Sponsors are pushing for a floor vote on the educational provisions alone by the end of the month.
Sponsors hope to pass the remaining portions of the bill next spring.
With the contentious school voucher provisions out of the way, backers hope the remaining parts of the bill will win stronger support if offered separately than if they were bundled with school vouchers. The bill is supported by the Heritage Foundation and Christian Coalition. We will monitor this and other bills affecting nonprofits and keep you updated.