House votes to start No Child Left Behind talks with Senate

The House voted Tuesday to begin negotiations with the Senate on legislation to renew the No Child Left Behind law.

Both chambers passed their respective versions of the bill in July. Lawmakers hope to finish conference negotiations by the end of the year to send a final reconciled measure to President Obama’s desk.

The original 2002 law expired in 2007. In the absence of Congress passing a reauthorization since then, the Obama administration has been issuing waivers since 2011 following requests from school districts and governors. 

{mosads}The House version, which gives states more control over education policy, is more conservative than the bipartisan Senate bill. 

But it’s unclear whether a compromise could win President Obama’s signature, since his administration has expressed opposition to both bills. 

Ten House Republicans were named to the conference committee: House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (Minn.), Virginia Foxx (N.C.), Phil Roe (Tenn.), Glenn Thompson (Pa.), Brett Guthrie (Ky.), Todd Rokita (Ind.), Luke Messer (Ind.), Glenn Grothman (Wis.), Steve Russell (Okla.) and Carlos Curbelo (Fla.).

Seven Democrats were also appointed: Rep. Bobby Scott (Va.), the top Democrat on the Education panel, as well as Susan Davis (Calif.), Marcia Fudge (Ohio), Jared Polis (Colo.), Frederica Wilson (Fla.), Suzanne Bonamici (Ore.) and Katherine Clark (Mass.).