Senate Panel Passes Bill to Reverse Dismantling of Education Department

July 30, 2026 - 21:08

A Senate committee has approved legislation aimed at reversing the ongoing dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, setting up a major clash with the Trump administration. The bill, which passed along party lines, would restore full funding and authority to the agency that the White House has been systematically gutting through executive orders and budget cuts.

In a letter to Congress, Trump cabinet members defended their actions, stating they have created "commonsense partnerships" that are already delivering "measurable results." They argued that shifting control of education policy to states and local communities has improved efficiency and reduced federal overreach. The letter did not provide specific data to support these claims.

Critics of the administration's approach, including several Democratic senators on the panel, argued that dismantling the department would harm vulnerable students, particularly those in low-income districts and students with disabilities. They pointed to the department's role in enforcing civil rights laws and distributing Title I funding as essential functions that cannot be simply handed off to states.

The bill now heads to the full Senate, where its fate remains uncertain. Republicans hold a narrow majority, but some have expressed reluctance to fully reverse the administration's education agenda. The White House has already threatened a veto, signaling that the fight over the future of federal education policy is far from over.