Senator Rounds Introduces Legislation to End Dept. of Education

The quest to have the Department of Education terminated has begun.

This department has been targeted by Republicans for elimination, and Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) is trying to get a jump on things.

Rounds has introduced legislation to end the department, but it is highly unlikely Majority Leader Schumer (D-N.Y.) will do anything with it during this term.

Back to the States

Trump has stated repeatedly that the Department of Education is a complete and utter waste.

Trump, along with many Republicans, believes the department can be eliminated and left up to the states to handle.

During the campaign, Trump expressed this very sentiment, stating, "One thing I’ll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., and sending all education and education work it needs back to the states."

Rounds agrees, introducing the "Returning Education to Our States Act" in the Senate.

Accompanying the legislation, Rounds stated, "The federal Department of Education has never educated a single student, and it’s long past time to end this bureaucratic Department that causes more harm than good.

"We all know local control is best when it comes to education. Everyone raised in South Dakota can think of a teacher who played a big part in their educational journey. Local school boards and state Departments of Education know best what their students need, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.

"For years, I’ve worked toward removing the federal Department of Education. I’m pleased that President-elect Trump shares this vision, and I’m excited to work with him and Republican majorities in the Senate and House to make this a reality.

“This legislation is a roadmap to eliminating the federal Department of Education by practically rehoming these federal programs in the departments where they belong, which will be critical as we move into next year.”

Rounds’ plan would fold student loans into the Treasury, disability would be folded into HHS, and career programs would be folded into the Department of Labor, just to name a few.

Honestly, I like the plan, and it just goes to show how redundant many of these government agencies are.

Trump has already named Linda McMahon as his nominee to head the DoE, and I would imagine her main task will be to develop the plan to wind down this agency and fold its operations into other departments.

I am sure she will use the Rounds legislation as a possible blueprint to do so.