U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan, speaks at a news conference on September 17, 2025, outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)
WASHINGTON – Democratic U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Delia Ramirez of Illinois joined supporters outside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday to blast the proposed measure cuts in education spending.
Lawmakers and demonstrators have criticized a congressional spending panel bill that calls for $12 billion in spending cuts at the Education Department for the coming fiscal year and meets many of President Donald Trump’s education spending priorities as he and his administration seek to disband the agency.
Dozens of supporters from across the country marched from the Department of Education headquarters to the U.S. Capitol to protest the proposed cuts organized by the political arm of the People’s Democracy, a network of community organizations across the country. The march culminated with a press conference where Tlaib and Ramirez met with supporters.
Trump announces “liquidation” of the agency
Trump and his administration have sought to target the Department of Education in an attempt to radically change the federal role in education.
Earlier this year, Trump requested $12 billion in spending cuts at the department for fiscal year 2026. And abstract the department’s proposal said the reduction “reflects the responsible winding down of the agency.”
“You all know and I feel it with all my heart – the fact that the current president wants to gut and completely eliminate the Department of Education is not only despicable, but also unconstitutional,” Tlaib said.
“You know that the Department of Education is incredibly important not only to people with disabilities, but also to people from different religious backgrounds and communities,” she said.
The Michigan Democrat added that “we know that without the Department of Education, many of our children will fall behind and be unable to receive … education and resources.”
The House of Representatives and Senate bills are different
Although the House and Senate Appropriations Committees share jurisdiction over funding the Department of Education for the upcoming fiscal year, their bills contrast sharply with each other.
Senate Appropriators has largely rejected Trump’s proposed spending cuts in their bipartisan bill that was introduced to committee in July. Their measure tightens requirements for the department to have the necessary number of employees to fulfill its statutory responsibilities and prevents the agency from transferring certain programs to other federal agencies.
But the House Appropriations Committee bill that also he left this panellargely aligns with the president’s education agenda and spending cut priorities.
Ramirez, R-Ill., sharply criticized the bill, saying it would “strip support for English learners, funding for teacher training and retention, and eliminate entire charter schools.”
She noted that “in an attempt to turn back the clock to a time when discrimination was legal, Republicans are obsessed with dismantling the Department of Education and every program that protects our children’s education for equal opportunity – which is why Republicans insist on taking over $12 billion from our children’s public education.”
