Three Republican Senators announced Thursday they had proposed a bill to entirely dismantle the Department of Education by 2026.
Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Lee of Utah and Bernie Moreno of Ohio introduced the bill in a “commitment to decentralization and individual freedom, aiming for a high-quality education free from federal interference,” according to a press release. If passed, the Department of Education would be fully terminated on Dec. 31, 2026.
Though President Donald Trump issued an executive order on March 20 calling on Education Secretary Linda McMahon to see to the department’s dismemberment, a complete abolition would require congressional approval. Many Democrats have expressed disapproval for the shuttering of the department, and none have come out in support of the decision.
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“Since its creation 45 years ago, the Department of Education has presided over a decline in academic achievement, skyrocketing college costs, and the woke takeover of our schools,” Lee told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “It’s past time that we fully return education to the states and eliminate this unconstitutional federal agency.”
A spokesman for Moreno referred the DCNF to the Senator’s statement in a press release announcing the bill.
“There is no constitutional role for the federal government in education, and returning power to the states will empower parents, cut red tape, and give our students the opportunity to receive the best possible education,” Moreno said. “After over 4 decades of Republicans promising to abolish the Department of Education, President Trump and Senate Republicans are finally delivering. This was a key part of what I campaigned on, and I’m proud to join Senator Paul and my colleagues on this long-overdue legislation.”
Calls to shutter the education department stem from the lack of academic success seen during its oversight, with test scores plummeting and the agency becoming increasingly defined by its push of left-wing ideas such as critical race theory, gender ideology and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
McMahon has already begun the process of shrinking the agency, with nearly half of staff cut in early March and several of the department’s services, including managing student loans and overseeing programs for students with disabilities, have been shifted to other agencies.
A coalition of 20 states along with Washington, D.C. have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for the staff cuts, saying the states will suffer “immense damage” due to the cuts.
Sen. Paul did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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