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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the Keep Kids in Schools Act of 2022, which would prohibit around $164 billion in unspent COVID-19 relief funding from going to elementary and secondary schools that do not offer in-person instruction on a full-time basis for all enrolled students. The legislation would include an exception for schools that cannot provide in-person instruction due to personnel following the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) quarantine and isolation guidelines.  
 
In February 2021, Rubio introduced the Put Students First Act of 2021 in an attempt to prohibit federal funding for schools that did not provide an in-person option.  
 
“Students have already lost a year or more of in-person instruction, and the impacts on their well-being have been catastrophic,” Rubio said. “Taxpayer dollars should not go to schools that cave to the ridiculous calls from teachers’ unions and their progressive allies to stay home. My bill is commonsense – if a school keeps students out of the classroom, it won’t receive any unspent federal relief funding.”
 
“Nearly everyone in America agrees that our kids need to be in school,” Rubio continued. “And if my bill comes up for a vote, I expect a majority of my colleagues will agree as well.” 
 
Related: 

• February 2, 2021: ICYMI: Rubio: Put Students First and Open Schools – Press Releases