Ilhan Omar: Believing That Trump Will ‘Improve’ The Education Is ‘Delusional At Best’

2 days ago

During a House Education and the Workforce Committee hearing before the congressional recess, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) discussed President Trump's potential funding cuts to the DoE.

Transcript

00:00You're back, Mr. Chairman.

00:02Thank you. I'd like to now recognize my colleague from Minnesota, Ms. Omar.

00:09Mr. Chair, I move to strike the last word.

00:13I find it utterly ridiculous that this administration can gut almost half of the staff of the Department of Education,

00:21eliminate millions in funding, direct the illegal closure of the entire department,

00:29and then turn around and pretend that the fundamental operations and responsibilities of the department will still be preserved.

00:37They hallowed out the Office of Civil Rights, yet claimed that they can still carry out their legal obligation to protect students from discrimination.

00:47They fired the entire legal team that provided guidance to states on how to implement IDEA,

00:55and yet claimed that they will still be able to provide equal opportunity to kids with disability.

01:02They are planning to unlawfully move the entire student loan operation to the Small Business Administration after, I remind you,

01:11firing 43% of the staff of that agency.

01:15So they understaff the Small Business Administration and then are giving them more responsibility,

01:22and yet claim that their actions will not disrupt the statutory requirement of the program.

01:30Republicans and the administration should be honest about what is happening here.

01:36Abject abandonment of the statutory duties and the congressional authority.

01:43This resolution of inquiry is simply asking the administration to explain how they will faithfully carry out the laws that are mandated by Congress.