Bill Summary
This bill proposes to abolish the Department of Education and instead provide funding directly to states for elementary and secondary education. The Department of Education and its programs would be terminated, with the exception of the Federal Pell Grant and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan programs. The responsibility for these programs would be transferred to the Secretary of the Treasury. The bill also includes a provision for block grants to states for elementary and secondary education, with the amount allocated to each state based on the amount of federal income taxes paid by its residents. The purpose of this bill is to promote competition and parental choice in education.
Possible Impacts
1. Possible cuts to federal education funding could lead to decreased resources and support for schools, potentially affecting the quality of education for students and their academic performance.
2. The transfer of authority to carry out certain programs to the Secretary of the Treasury could lead to changes in how these programs are managed and administered, potentially affecting the efficiency and effectiveness of these programs.
3. The block grant program could result in increased competition and choices for parents when it comes to their child's education, potentially affecting the enrollment and funding of public schools and the education system as a whole.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8961 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8961
To abolish the Department of Education and to provide funding directly
to States for elementary and secondary education, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 22, 2022
Mr. Gohmert (for himself and Mr. Steube) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To abolish the Department of Education and to provide funding directly
to States for elementary and secondary education, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ABOLISHMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
(a) In General.--Effective on the date that is 30 days after the
date of enactment of this Act--
(1) the Department of Education is abolished; and
(2) each applicable program is terminated.
(b) Applicable Program Defined.--The term ``applicable program''
means each program for which the Secretary of Education or the
Department of Education has administrative responsibility as provided
by law or by delegation of authority pursuant to law as of the day
before the date specified in subsection (a), except such term does not
include--
(1) the Federal Pell Grant program under section 401 of the
Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1070a); and
(2) the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program under
part D of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.).
(c) Transfer of Functions.--Effective on the date specified in
subsection (a), the authority to carry out the programs described in
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b) is hereby transferred to the
Secretary of the Treasury.
SEC. 2. BLOCK GRANTS TO STATES.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) States should distribute non-Federal funds for
elementary and secondary education in a manner that promotes
competition and choices in education in order to secure the
best education available for each child; and
(2) it is the fundamental right of parents to determine the
best education for their children.
(b) Elementary and Secondary Education Grant Program.--The
Secretary of the Treasury shall carry out a program under which the
Secretary makes allocations to States, in accordance with subsection
(c), to support elementary and secondary education.
(c) Allocations to States.--The allocations made by the Secretary
to each State under subsection (b) shall be in proportion to the
aggregate amount of Federal individual income taxes paid by the
residents of such State (relative to such aggregate amount paid by
residents of all the States) as determined by the Secretary after
consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury.
(d) Use of Funds.--A State that receives an allocation under
subsection (c) shall use such funds to support elementary and secondary
education in the State.
<all>