D.C. Voucher Proposal Ties Up Spending Bill

By Robert C. Johnston

Washington

The Senate failed twice last week to end a Democratic filibuster of a bill that would allow federal money to pay tuition at private schools for needy District of Columbia students.

The $5 million voucher plan, which would include religious schools, is a tiny part of a $5 billion spending bill that would set the capital city's budget for the fiscal year that started Oct. 1. But while the bill includes other contentious provisions, it is largely the voucher language that has tied up the legislation for several weeks. That issue...