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Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said they couldn't commit to voting for President Trump's education secretary pick Betsy DeVos on the Senate floor Tuesday. (Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions)

Two Republican senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska said Tuesday they are not yet committed to voting for Michigan billionaire Betsy DeVos for U.S. education secretary on the Senate floor. They became the first Republicans to say so.

It was the first time that any Republican senators said they might not vote for President Trumps nominee, who is the most polarizing education secretary nominee in the departments history.

Collins and Murkowski made the comments during a meeting of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The committees members are scheduled to vote shortly on Trumps nomination of DeVos, whose supporters praise her for being a longtime advocate of school choice who has helped low-income students find alternatives to failing public schools. Her critics say her education advocacy is aimed at privatizing the countrys public education system. They point out that she has called public schools a dead end, a remark she made in 2015.

[Six astonishing things Betsy DeVos said and refused to say at her confirmation hearing]

Collins, often seen as more moderate than other Republicans on Capitol Hill, said she would vote for DeVos in the committee so that the nomination would be sent to floor of the Senate so all senators can vote.

Actually, the nomination would have been sent to the floor for a full vote by the chairman of the committee, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) even if the committee voted against DeVos. But Collins said she felt that any president has a right to have all senators consider nominations.

Democrats say they have 48 votes against DeVos on the floor but need 51 and they have been looking for Republican votes against DeVos since her Jan. 17 hearing, where she displayed little understand of some key education issues.

Collins said she was keeping her options open in regard to DeVos for the full Senate vote.

Now let me make clear that I know that Mrs. DeVos cares deeply about children. I recognize that she has devoted much time and resources to try and improve the education of at-risk children in cities whose public schools have failed them. And I commend her for that service.

Like all of us, Mrs. DeVos is the product of her experience. She appears to view education through the lens of her experience in promoting alternatives to public education in Detroit and other cities where she has no doubt done valuable work.

Nevertheless her concentration on charter schools an vouchers raises the question of whether or not she fully appreciates that the secretary of educations primary focus must be on helping states and communities, parents, teachers, school board members and administrators strengthen our public schools

That is why I wrote to Mrs. Devos seeking her assurances in writing that she would not support any federal legislation mandating that states adopt vouchers nor will she condition federal funding on the presence of voucher programs in the states. She has provided that commitment

There remain other questions about Mrs. Devoss knowledge of certain education laws. While it is unrealistic and unfair toe expect a nominee to know all of the details of such programs, I was surprised and concerned about Mrs. Devos apparent lack of familiarity with the landmark 1975 law, IDEA, that guarantees a free and appropriate education for children with special needs. Therefore, I will continue to evaluate this nomination before it comes to the floor, even as I vote today to advance it so that all of our colleagues have the opportunity to assess this nominee.

Murkowski expressed concern about DeVoss emphasis on school choice, which is difficult if not impossible to implement in rural areas which dominate Alaska. She said thousands of Alaskans have visited her offices, called and sent messages expressing concern about DeVos and that she was not certain how she would vote on the Senate floor. But Murkowski, like Collins, said she would vote to approve the nomination in the committee.

[What Trump said when he signed nomination papers for Betsy DeVos, his education nominee]

She said:

I will show the same respect, the same deference to President Trumps nominee as I did President Obamas. And I will vote to report Mrs. DeVoss nomination to the full Senate.

But do know that she has not yet earned my full support.

Link:
Two Republican senators says they aren't committed to voting for Betsy DeVos on Senate floor - Washington Post