Republicans’ Bless President Trump’s Illegal Scheme to Dismantle ED

Republicans' Bless President Trump's Illegal Scheme to Dismantle ED

WASHINGTON - Today, the Committee on Education and Workforce Republicans voted to rubber-stamp President Trump's scheme to illegally dismantle the Department of Education (ED) piece-by-piece by codifying the Interagency Agreements (IAAs). Each of today's bills delegates functions, specific grants and programs, and offices currently at ED to other federal agencies.

In his opening statement, Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott highlighted the endless problems with the current illegal IAAs and stated, "If anything, the efforts to dismantle the Department of Education are proof that the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans would rather prioritize fulfilling a campaign promise, even in the face of mounting evidence that doing so would be disastrous for students, educators, and their communities."

Committee Democrats offered dozens of amendments that would ensure students, educators, and schools are not harmed by these proposals. Committee Republicans rejected every single one of them. Here is just a sample of the amendments offered:H.R. 9607, Less Bureaucracy, Better Workforce Development Act, would transfer adult education and career technical education programs authorized by the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act and the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act from ED to the Department of Labor (DOL). The bill would also transfer to DOL any Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) not covered in the IAA.

H.R. 9610, Less Bureaucracy, Better K-12 Education Act, would move formula and competitive grant programs from ED's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) to DOL's Employment and Training Administration (ETA). Many of the programs included in the IAA have been under attack since the beginning of the second Trump Administration, including programs tasked with English language instruction, migrant education, academic enrichment, and professional development for educators.

H.R. 9611, Less Bureaucracy, Better Higher Education Act, would transfer most of the higher education discretionary grant programs operating within ED's Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) to DOL, along with all additional OPE-related duties. H.R. 9611 would weaken ED's higher education ability to effectively manage grants, conduct oversight of colleges, and provide technical assistance.

H.R. 9605, Less Bureaucracy, Better Foreign Medical Accreditation Act, would codify the Trump Administration's IAA transferring all functions of the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA), including member appointment and coordination with foreign governments, to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). This transfer would weaken the NCGMEA's ability to objectively evaluate which foreign medical schools are able to disburse federal student aid to U.S. students without political interference.

H.R. 9604, Less Bureaucracy, Better Tribal Education Act, would transfer all Indian education programs from ED to the Department of the Interior (DOI). The bill would also move programs for Tribal Colleges and Universities, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Native American-Serving Non-Tribal Institutions to DOI while all other Minority Serving Institutions and Historically Black Colleges and Universities are transferred to DOL. Not only are Interior and DOL ill-equipped to carry out the functions of these programs, but dividing these programs under two different departments endangers the programs' access to grants and funding.

H.R. 9606, Less Bureaucracy, Better Child Care for Student Parents Act, would erode support for student parents by moving the Child Care Access Means Parents in School program to HHS's Administration for Children and Families, an entity that lacks experience working with institutions of higher education. The Trump Administration ultimately would like to eliminate funding for the program, and this proposal seeks to undermine the program's intent to provide access to affordable childcare services for low-income student parents.

H.R. 9603, Less Bureaucracy, Better International Education Oversight Act, would transfer Title VI of the Higher Education Act (HEA), which authorizes programs and funding for international education and foreign language studies, from ED to the Department of State (State).

H.R. 9602, Less Bureaucracy, Better Foreign Gift Transparency Act, would codify the Trump Administration's illegal IAA transferring all functions related to HEA's Sec. 117 foreign gifts reporting requirements from ED to State. The move would not only weaken compliance with reporting requirements but could also further enable State to use reporting data for immigration enforcement and exacerbate the rampant violence and discrimination the Administration has placed on immigrant communities and people of color.

H.R. 9608, Less Bureaucracy, Better Family Engagement Act, would move the administration of "Family Engagement and School Support Partnership" programs from ED's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) to HHS. These programs are meant to support student learning, family engagement, and school safety to secure successful student outcomes. Moving these critical programs to HHS would render them less effective and have negative impacts on children's educational outcomes and well-being.

H.R. 9609, Less Bureaucracy, Better Student Aid Act, would transfer the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) to the Department of the Treasury (Treasury). Treasury is ill-equipped to carry out key initiatives, including the overhaul of the student loan repayment program, student loan forgiveness and discharge, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion, and college program reviews. This drastic and unprecedented move would be a recipe for disaster for students, borrowers, and colleges.

To read Ranking Member Scott's opening statement, click here.

To read letters of opposition, click here.

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