Senator Murray Slams Secretary DeVos Education Budget that Slashes Investments in Students, Teachers, Public Schools, and Colleges and Universities
Education Secretary DeVos
proposed major cuts to afterschool programs, aid for college students,
public schools, programs that serve teachers, and more
Republicans and Democrats in
Congress have repeatedly rejected DeVos’ budget proposals, instead
worked together to increase federal investments in education
Senator Murray: “I always say
that a budget is a reflection of your values...[t]his request speaks
volumes about where your priorities lay and who you are fighting for as
Secretary of Education”
(Washington, D.C.) – Today,
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Appropriations
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and
Related Agencies (LHHS), delivered opening remarks at an Appropriations
Subcommittee hearing on Secretary DeVos’ proposed education budget,
which proposes deep cuts to spending in public education, slashing $4
billion in afterschool programs and other needed investments in public
school students, and taking more than $200 billion out of the pockets of
student loan borrowers. Senator Murray also reprimanded Secretary DeVos
for defying directives from the Appropriations Committee, ignoring
bipartisan initiatives to protect student loan borrowers and others.
Senator Murray also criticized Secretary DeVos’
proposed Title IX rule, which would once again sweep sexual assault
under the rug by weakening protections for students and allowing schools
to shirk their responsibility to keep students safe. Murray encouraged
DeVos to listen to students and survivors, and start over on a rule that
would meaningfully address the scourge of sexual assault on college
campuses.
Senator Murray also questioned Secretary DeVos
on the number of “borrower defense” claims the Department of Education
has failed to process for students who were cheated or defrauded by
predatory for-profit colleges—including
more than 2,000 students in Washington state who were cheated out of
their education and savings by Corinthian Colleges and are still
waiting—and the Department’s decision to replace the Acting independent
inspector general with a senior official working inside the Department,
and the Department’s deregulation agenda, among others.
Key excerpts from Senator Murray’s opening remarks:
“I always say that a budget is a reflection
of your values. And given your budget fails to invest in our youngest
learners, fails students in public schools, fails students struggling to
better themselves in higher education, and fails the student loan
borrowers saddled with debt. This request speaks volumes about where
your priorities lay and who you are fighting for as Secretary of
Education.”
“I am disappointed that the budget zeroes
out funding for Special Olympics education programs. You say this about
tough choices, but you’re also asking for more money for charter schools
when you’re having trouble spending the increase Congress appropriated
last year. This is not about tough choices, this is about you
prioritizing your agenda over students with special needs.”
“This budget proposes cutting funding to
colleges and universities that primarily enroll low-income students and
students of color, including minority-serving institutions, and proposes
to take more than $200 billion from the pockets of student loan
borrowers by making them pay back more, making some pay back longer, and
eliminating debt forgiveness for our public servants.”
“These divisive proposals would not only
harm students and families, but they are in stark contrast with the
efforts Chairman Alexander and I—along with our colleague in the
House—are making to find common ground and reauthorize the Higher
Education Act.”
“Your department has slow-walked the hiring
of staff at the Office for Civil Rights—despite explicit direction from
this committee. You have ignored committee report language directing the
Department to protect student loan borrowers from unfair, deceptive
practices of student loan companies. The Department has dismissed a
Committee directive for a new competition for an open textbook pilot
program designed to help college students better afford higher
education. And you have ignored Committee directives to provide relief
to student loan borrowers who were cheated and defrauded by predatory
for-profit colleges, which now stands at 140,000 claims and mounting.”
Full text of Senator Murray’s opening remarks below:
“Thank you Chairman Blunt.
“Over the past two years, you and I have been
able to pass bipartisan spending bills that invest in children,
students, workers, patients, women, and families across the country.
“This was only possible because we worked
together, found common ground, and rejected this Administration’s
harmful budget requests—including proposals to gut funding for students,
teachers, and public schools… and requests for Secretary DeVos’
privatization agenda.
“While I’m pleased we were able to work together
and pass the most recent Appropriations bill from this subcommittee
before the start of the fiscal year, unfortunately, President Trump
decided to hold half of our spending bills hostage and shut down the
government earlier this year.
“This temper tantrum—over a wall he promised
Mexico would pay for—cost our economy $3 billion and forced 800,000
federal workers to go without paychecks for over a month.
“In my home state of Washington, thousands of
workers at Sea-Tac airport and across the state were forced to work
without pay, were forced to take out loans, were forced to figure out
how to make ends meets-all because of the President’s manufactured
crisis.
“So I hope we can avoid this spectacle in this year’s Appropriations process—and keep the government funded.
“In addition to rejecting Trump’s harmful budget
proposals—we must reach a deal to lift the sequester caps and restore
critical investments in defense and middle class priorities.
“I was proud to reach a deal with then-Speaker
Ryan in 2013 to do exactly that—and I am so glad that we’ve been able to
build on that deal in years since.
“So Secretary DeVos—with that in mind—I want to discuss your budget proposal in front of us today.
“I always say that a budget is a reflection of your values.
“And given your budget fails to invest in our
youngest learners, fails students in public schools, fails students
struggling to better themselves in higher education, and fails the
student loan borrowers saddled with debt.
“This request speaks volumes about where your priorities lay and who you are fighting for as Secretary of Education.
“It’s also telling that at the same time as you
sit before us requesting devastating cuts to public education, the
President’s budget proposal is still pushing for your privatization
agenda—which neither the public wants, nor Congress has authorized.
“Now I want to dig into some your requested cuts
today—because I believe it is important to fully understand your vision
for the future of education in our country.
“Your budget request cuts more than $4 billion from afterschool programs and other needed investments in public school students…
“Including completely eliminating federal
support for the program that supports our nation’s teachers, and
requesting no additional funding for low-income students and students
with disabilities—at a time when many of our schools are struggling to
meet the needs of those students.
“Additionally—I am disappointed that the budget zeroes out funding for Special Olympics education programs.
“You say this about tough choices, but you’re
also asking for more money for charter schools when you’re having
trouble spending the increase Congress appropriated last year.
“This is not about tough choices, this is about you prioritizing your agenda over students with special needs.
“You’ve also once again failed to take any steps
to make our schools and neighborhoods safer by addressing common sense
gun safety measures or reducing the number of guns in schools.
“This budget proposes cutting funding to
colleges and universities that primarily enroll low-income students and
students of color, including minority-serving institutions, and proposes
to take more than $200 billion from the pockets of student loan
borrowers by making them pay back more, making some pay back longer, and
eliminating debt forgiveness for our public servants.
“These divisive proposals would not only harm
students and families, but they are in stark contrast with the efforts
Chairman Alexander and I—along with our colleague in the House—are
making to find common ground and reauthorize the Higher Education Act.
“So—Secretary DeVos—I have many questions about
your budget proposal and other issues at the Department but I also want
to address the epidemic of sexual assault on our nation’s college
campuses and your Department’s proposed Title IX rule.
“Over the past year, I’ve spent time with brave
women who have shared their experiences with me of being sexually
assaulted on college campuses.
“It wasn’t always easy for them to share their
deeply painful and traumatic stories, but they did so because they
wanted to help ensure it doesn’t happen to others.
“I am so in awe of the brave women and men who
have publicly shared one of the worst moments of their life, and I am
standing with them and will continue to fight to end the epidemic of
sexual assault on our nation’s college campuses.
“So I was extremely disappointed and concerned
when you proposed a Title IX rule that would weaken protections for
survivors and allow colleges to shirk their responsibility to
investigate claims of sexual assault and keep students safe.
“I believe if your rule goes into effect—campus
sexual assault will once again be swept under the rug, because students
won’t feel comfortable coming forward knowing their school is less
likely to act when they’ve been assaulted.
“So I genuinely hope you take the time to read some of the 100,000 comments students and survivors submitted on this rule.
“I hope you listen to these students, take their
stories to heart, and start over on a rule that ensures schools are
doing everything they can to keep students safe—and gives students a
fair process that does not force them to be re-traumatized after they’ve
reported their assault.
“And finally—I want to note how concerned I am about the Department’s responsiveness to the Committee’s direction.
“Your department has slow-walked the hiring of
staff at the Office for Civil Rights—despite explicit direction from
this committee.
“You have ignored committee report language
directing the Department to protect student loan borrowers from unfair,
deceptive practices of student loan companies.
“The Department has dismissed a Committee
directive for a new competition for an open textbook pilot program
designed to help college students better afford higher education.
“And you have ignored Committee directives to
provide relief to student loan borrowers who were cheated and defrauded
by predatory for-profit colleges, which now stands at 140,000 claims and
mounting.
“What surprised me about this inaction is that
during last year’s hearing—Chairman Blunt reminded you of the importance
of being responsive to this Committee.
“Additionally—you have not responded to a number
of requests for information from me about critical aspects of
Department policy and administration, and I know several of Chairman
Scott and Chair DeLauro’s letters are also unanswered.
“It is unacceptable and unconstitutional to
ignore Congress’ oversight responsibilities and authority—so I expect
answers to these letters as quickly as possible.
“I hope in addition to answers to our questions
today, we can get a commitment from you to respond to these letters in a
timely manner and be more responsive to this Committee’s direction.
“Thank you.”
