The Senate passes the READ Act Reauthorization: here are some steps to ensure it becomes law!

In a major step forward, the Senate passed the READ Act Reauthorization Act (S.41) yesterday (November 6, 2023)! The bill passed by voice vote, without dissent. This means that there were no objections from either party to passing this legislation. That bipartisan support is a result of your persistent advocacy throughout this year. By pushing for co-sponsors and asking for the bill to be prioritized, you proved to Senate leadership that global education is a critical issue.

Passing the full Senate is a great step towards our global education goals. It shows that Congress is committed to addressing the global learning crisis and promoting access to basic education around the world. The READ Act Reauthorization Act would extend the 2017 READ Act for five years. If reauthorized, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) can maintain and improve their global education strategy that focuses on foundational literacy and numeracy. It would also make their programs more effective, affirming the U.S.’s stance that every child has the right to quality education.

Thank you for all of your work to contact your members of Congress and raise awareness of the importance of global education in the media. This week, your advocacy paid off, and you can send a message thanking any Senators who co-sponsored the bill. 

Next! We need the House to step up as well. Urge your Representative to co-sponsor, and push the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) leadership and House leadership, to prioritize moving the READ Act Reauthorization Act (H.R.681) before the end of the year. 

You can check if your members are co-sponsors here, and learn more about the READ Act here. As we inch closer to the end of the year, take action now by asking your members to co-sponsor, or by writing a Letter to the Editor (LTE)! With your advocacy, we can pass the READ Act Reauthorization Act and support the expansion of the basic human right to quality education.