Demands the President and Secretary of Education to submit documents to the House of Representatives regarding Department of Education downsizing and potential closure.
Robert "Bobby" Scott
Representative
VA-3
This bill requests the President and Secretary of Education to provide the House of Representatives with all documents and communications relating to the closure of the Department of Education, workforce reductions, and the impact of downsizing on the department's ability to enforce federal education laws. The request includes all records pertaining to the Secretary of Education's March 3, 2025, communication to staff, "Our Department's Final Mission," and any presidential executive order directing the department's closure. All documents must be submitted to the House within 14 days of the resolution's adoption.
House Demands Docs on Potential Ed Department Closure: Focus on Enforcement of Key Laws
This resolution isn't creating a new law, but it's a formal demand from the House of Representatives. They're directing the President and the Secretary of Education to hand over a wide range of internal documents – memos, emails, meeting notes, the works – related to any plans or discussions about closing down or significantly shrinking the Department of Education. The deadline is tight: just 14 days after the resolution passes.
Congress Wants the Receipts
The request is pretty specific. It asks for all communications concerning the potential closure or downsizing of the Department, including anything related to a March 3, 2025, staff communication titled "Our Department’s Final Mission" and any Presidential Executive Orders directing such actions. Think of it as Congress saying, "If you're considering this massive change, we need to see the paper trail, and we need it now."
The Big Question: Who Enforces the Rules?
Here’s the core issue this resolution targets: If the Department of Education shrinks dramatically or disappears, who makes sure critical federal education laws are still followed? The resolution explicitly asks for documents showing whether the administration believes a downsized department could still enforce laws vital to students, parents, and schools across the country. This includes big ones like:
- Title IX: Ensures fairness based on sex in education programs, covering everything from sports equity to handling sexual harassment.
- IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act): Guarantees students with disabilities get the support and services they need for a public education.
- Civil Rights Protections: Includes Title VI (preventing race/origin discrimination) and Section 504/ADA Title II (preventing disability discrimination).
- Major Funding and Structure Acts: Like the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the Higher Education Act (HEA - think Pell Grants and federal student loans), and the Perkins Act (funding career and technical education).
- Privacy Laws: FERPA (protecting student record privacy) and PPRA (protecting student survey/info privacy).
Essentially, the House wants to know if there's a plan to ensure these fundamental protections and programs remain effective even if the agency currently overseeing them undergoes drastic changes. This resolution is step one in getting those answers directly from the Executive Branch.