Senator Mike Rounds introduced the “Returning Education to Our States Act,” aiming to abolish the Department of Education and redistribute its $200 billion budget to other federal agencies and states. The bill faces an uphill battle, requiring a 60-vote supermajority in the Senate, though Rounds hopes to utilize a reconciliation process to pass it with a simple majority. Experts express concern over the potential negative impacts on students with disabilities and marginalized groups, highlighting the loss of crucial federal protections and funding. The bill’s passage would represent a long-held Republican goal, reversing decades of federal involvement in education.
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Senator Mike Rounds’s “Returning Education to Our States Act” proposes eliminating the Department of Education, redistributing its $238 billion budget to other federal agencies. This action, supported by President-elect Trump, aims to return control of education to states and local communities, arguing the current department is overly bureaucratic and ineffective. While the bill faces an uphill battle in the Senate due to Democratic opposition, similar attempts to abolish the department have been made by Republicans since its inception in 1979. The bill’s passage is considered unlikely in the current congressional session.
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Senator Mike Rounds’ “Returning Education to Our States Act” proposes abolishing the US Department of Education within one year. The bill redistributes the department’s programs to other federal agencies, including Interior, Treasury, Health and Human Services, Labor, and State, based on program relevance. This action aims to return education responsibilities to states and aligns with President-elect Trump’s vision. The legislation details the specific transfer of programs across these various departments.
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John Q. Hosedrinker