A Republican congressman has filed a bill to abolish the Department of Education. GOP Lawmaker Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced the bill in the House in early February. It is awaiting deliberation at the Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Massie filed the bill, H.R. 899, in the hopes of disbanding the agency by Dec. 31, 2018. The congressman's bid received the support of other GOP representatives like Rep. Justin Amash (Michigan), Rep. Andy Biggs (Arizona), Rep. Jason Chaffetz (Utah), Rep. Matt Gaetz (Florida), Rep. Jody Hice (Georgia), Rep. Walter Jones (North Caroline) and Rep. Raul Labrador (Idaho).
"Neither Congress nor the President, through his appointees, has the constitutional authority to dictate how and what our children must learn," Massie said via a press release on his official site. The Kentucky lawmaker also said it would be better for states to decide on Education because its local leaders are more familiar with what their communities need.
Massie said removing the federal agency's involvement in creating and deciding Education policies would do away with bureaucrats and blanket solutions. "It is time the one-size-fits-all approach by the federal government is ended and authority is returned to the local level," the congressman said.
The Department of Education was established in 1980 by President Jimmy Carter to handle federal aids and funds as well as gather data that would foster the improvement of America's education system. President Ronald Reagan, who followed Carter's term, planned on dissolving the agency but Congress did not support him on this, per KBCD.
Massie told Brietbart that current Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has enough time to start delegating the agency's programs to the states to begin the transition. The congressman is confident that his proposed bill will be signed, especially since the sitting president at the White House, Donald Trump, also discussed dissolving the Department of Education during his campaign.
