What Happened to Abolishing the Dept of Education?

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Why is the Republican Congress fully funding the Dept of Education while adding additional funding to it and allowing the adoption of a Democratic rider prohibiting DOE funds from being transferred to other agencies? Didn't Trump abolish it? Is he going to sign off on this when it hits his desk?

 

[Cellblock2429]

Why is the Republican Congress fully funding the Dept of Education while adding additional funding to it and allowing the adoption of a Democratic rider prohibiting DOE funds from being transferred to other agencies? Didn't Trump abolish it? Is he going to sign off on this when it hits his desk?

/----/ Good question. I asked Gemini.
As of early 2026, the Department of Education has not been abolished, but it is undergoing a significant and controversial restructuring.
While the Trump administration has taken steps to "break up the federal education bureaucracy," a full dissolution of the department requires an Act of Congress, which is currently stalled.

Current Status of Restructuring​

Instead of an immediate shutdown, the administration has begun "selling off the department for parts" by shifting its primary responsibilities to other agencies through Interagency Agreements (IAAs).

• Labor Department (DOL): Now manages most postsecondary grant programs and day-to-day management of career and technical education.
• Department of the Interior (DOI): Has taken over administration for Indian Education programs.
• State Department: Now handles certain international studies and public diplomacy education initiatives.
• Health and Human Services (HHS): Target for transferring early childhood programs and Title I funding.

Legislative Hurdles​

While President Trump signed an executive order aimed at dismantling the agency, legal experts and Secretary Linda McMahon have acknowledged that only Congress has the authority to officially terminate a cabinet-level department.

• The 60-Vote Barrier: To pass the Senate, a bill like H.R. 899 (which proposes a termination date of December 31, 2026) would need to overcome a filibuster, requiring 60 votes.
• The 2026 Budget Rebound: In January 2026, a bipartisan budget proposal emerged that would fund the department at $79 billion. This bill explicitly includes language to prevent the transfer of statutory responsibilities to other agencies and requires the department to maintain staff levels necessary to fulfill its legal duties.

---

Summary Table: Proposed vs. Actual​

Program/Function	Original Goal	Status (Jan 2026)
Department Status	Total Abolishment	Active (Restructured/Downsized)
Title I Funding	Block grants to states	Managed by ED (Congress resisting transfer)
Student Loans (FSA)	Privatize or move to Treasury	Managed by ED (New Repayment Assistance Plan added)
DEI Initiatives	Immediate elimination	Dismantled via Executive Order

 

[WorldWatcher]

Why is the Republican Congress fully funding the Dept of Education...

It's election year and the GOP has enough problems caused by Trump.

WW

 

[0311]

Why is the Republican Congress fully funding the Dept of Education while adding additional funding to it and allowing the adoption of a Democratic rider prohibiting DOE funds from being transferred to other agencies? Didn't Trump abolish it? Is he going to sign off on this when it hits his desk?

Only Congress can abolish a Cabinet level position. 47 attempt to abolish failed. The Constitution is quite clear on this.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Why is the Republican Congress fully funding the Dept of Education while adding additional funding to it and allowing the adoption of a Democratic rider prohibiting DOE funds from being transferred to other agencies? Didn't Trump abolish it? Is he going to sign off on this when it hits his desk?

Same thing that happened to America First

 

[Votto]

Why is the Republican Congress fully funding the Dept of Education while adding additional funding to it and allowing the adoption of a Democratic rider prohibiting DOE funds from being transferred to other agencies? Didn't Trump abolish it? Is he going to sign off on this when it hits his desk?

Trump never had control of Congress and Congress is what is needed to get rid of the department of education.

Meanwhile, the Left tries to continue to paint Trump as a despotic tyrant, when he can't even do away with a department within his own Executive Branch even though he is at the head of it.

It's called the Deep State.

 

[Mac-7]

Why is the Republican Congress fully funding the Dept of Education while adding additional funding to it and allowing the adoption of a Democratic rider prohibiting DOE funds from being transferred to other agencies? Didn't Trump abolish it? Is he going to sign off on this when it hits his desk?

I would love it if Trump had absolute power to enact any policy he wants

But the congress contains enough democrats to prevent that

Libs cant have it both ways

I.E. fight trump tooth and nail every step of the way, which they have the power to do, and then mock MAGAs when they succeed

 

[kyzr]

My understanding is that the DOE will simply transfer money to the states without using any of it for "mismanagement"

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/5384

Rebuking Trump, Congress Moves to Maintain Most Federal Education Funding

Funding for key programs like Title I and IDEA are on track to remain level year over year.

www.edweek.org

"The legislation wouldn’t entirely halt the Trump administration’s education policy actions, though. The bill and its accompanying report express a litany of concerns that in-progress efforts to shift program responsibilities to other agencies could hurt students and waste taxpayer dollars. But they don’t order the department to cease those efforts.
“There’s language aimed at having the administration send Congress proposals to make changes, but there’s nothing in it that explicitly stops the administration from doing what it has been doing,” said Sarah Abernathy, executive director of the Committee for Education Funding, a nonprofit advocacy group."

There is nothing that stops Trump from doing what he has been doing.

 

[dblack]

Why is the Republican Congress fully funding the Dept of Education while adding additional funding to it and allowing the adoption of a Democratic rider prohibiting DOE funds from being transferred to other agencies? Didn't Trump abolish it? Is he going to sign off on this when it hits his desk?

Because anything that starts with the "Department of ..." gives them lots of power. They like power.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

He's such a ******* huckster and con man, he could have had the Board of "Education" set higher standards. Instead we get the shuck and jive I know this will never happen BS -- again

 

[LordBrownTrout]

Because anything that starts with the "Department of ..." gives them lots of power. They like power.

Yep and it was the Rs who created DHS. Both parties cackle and scream until they're in charge of the circus and then they love them some big govt.

 

[Augustine_]

Why is the Republican Congress fully funding the Dept of Education while adding additional funding to it and allowing the adoption of a Democratic rider prohibiting DOE funds from being transferred to other agencies? Didn't Trump abolish it? Is he going to sign off on this when it hits his desk?

Protecting the Epstein list erased all other priorities

 

[IM2]

Abolishing the Department of Education is a stupid idea.

 

[dblack]

Abolishing the Department of Education is a stupid idea.

Rs in Congress have your back!

 

[BluesLegend]

Riiiiight we'll just untangle and shut down a huge government bureaucracy decades in the making, funneling billions in taxpayer money to their shills, virtually overnight. We'll get right on that you stupid F's.

Then there's asshole Democrats who run to their shill judges in the courts trying to block Trump from doing what he has done. I think we all know why you assholes forgot to mention THAT!

 

[IM2]

Think about it this way:

Are we a stronger, more competitive nation if we invest in the education of our people?

Or are we a stronger, more competitive nation if we keep investing in bombs and missiles?

 

[0311]

Think about it this way:

Are we a stronger, more competitive nation if we invest in the education of our people?

Or are we a stronger, more competitive nation if we keep investing in bombs and miss?

Education over bombs always.

 

[0311]

Protecting the Epstein list erased all other priorities

Pedophiles protecting Pedophiles.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

Abolishing the Department of Education is a stupid idea.

Its a great idea but the repubs are spineless and vote to keep it going.

 

[IM2]

Its a great idea but the repubs are spineless and vote to keep it going.

No, it really isn't.