Senate votes 50-49 to PASS Tom Cotton's amendment banning federal funding to schools that teach critical race theory

The Senate on Tuesday voted 50-49 to pass an amendment to its $3.5trillion budget blueprint that would ban federal funds from being used to teach critical race theory in schools.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., joined all of his Republican colleagues in voting to pass the amendment.

The amendment passed around 3:30 a.m. as part of a 15-hour 'vote-a-rama' that led to the passing of the blueprint. The resolution is non-binding and cannot be legally enforced. 

'In America, our rights have no color, our law and society should be color blind, and, as Dr. Martin Luther King said, we should not be judged by the color of our skin, but by the content of our character,' the Arkansas Republican said on the Senate floor.

Cotton, who's been an ardent warrior against critical race theory , called the ideology 'un-American.'

Cotton, who's been an ardent warrior against critical race theory , called the ideology 'un-American'

 

Manchin joined all Republicans in voting for the amendment 

'They want to teach our children that America is not a good nation, but a racist nation,' he said. 'Those teachings are wrong and our tax dollars should not support them.'

CRT curriculum shot up in popularity the past spring in light of last year's racial injustice protests. Supporters say it teaches children the issue of the systemic racism ingrained in America's history, law and culture, while opponents say it traumatizes and divides children by teaching them that white people are inherently racist.

Cotton has been at the forefront of the contentious fight against the teaching, also introducing a bill to ban the US military from promoting CRT. He and Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, launched a whistleblower webpage where services members shared their experience with CRT in the service. 

'My amendment will make sure that federal funds are not used to indoctrinate kids as young as Pre-K to hate America. Our future depends on the next generation of kids loving America and loving each other as fellow citizens, no matter their race,' the senator said.