GOP senator says he’s in talks with Trump on bill to codify Education Department executive order
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., has been in discussions with President Trump’s White House to revive his bill to dismantle the Department of Education, following the latest executive order signed by the President. The executive order to abolish the department had been a topic of conversation between Rounds and the administration leading up to its announcement.
Rounds, a longtime advocate for dismantling the Department of Education, is now planning to reintroduce his bill that would dissolve the department. He believes that the federal bureaucracy of education has not directly educated a single student and argues that it is time to shut it down. The senator emphasized the importance of returning education decisions to states and local school districts while maintaining essential programs like special education and Title I.
The senator had previously introduced the “Returning Education to Our States Act” in the last Congress, but it did not progress to the floor for a vote due to Democratic control. The bill aims to abolish the Department of Education and redistribute its responsibilities and programs to various other departments.
During his 2024 campaign, Trump had promised to close down the Department of Education and transfer education duties back to the states. With the recent executive order, he reiterated his commitment to preserving essential functions such as Pell grants and funding for children with disabilities, while shutting down the department and reallocating its responsibilities.
While the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the discussions between Rounds and the administration, the senator is optimistic about the path forward for his legislation. He is working closely with Secretary McMahon to advance the bill and believes that there is a good opportunity to make progress in returning education decision-making to the local level.
In conclusion, Sen. Mike Rounds’ efforts to revive his bill to abolish the Department of Education align with President Trump’s executive order to dismantle the department. The senator’s focus on returning education control to states and local districts while preserving crucial programs reflects a broader push to decentralize education governance in the United States.
