Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) (right) is one of three GOP lawmakers who recently reintroduced a bill to … More
Getty ImagesRepublicans Reintroduce Bill To Abolish Education Department
In late March 2025, Republican lawmakers reignited their long-standing campaign to abolish the Education Department. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Lee (R-UT), and newly elected Bernie Moreno (R-OH) introduced a one-line bill that would eliminate the Education Department, setting December 31, 2026, as the agency’s final day of operation.
The straightforward proposal reads: “The Department of Education shall terminate on December 31, 2026.” It aims to shut down the Education Department and hand education control back to states and local communities. “It’s time to empower families and local leaders to make the best decisions for their students, rather than relying on out-of-touch federal regulators,” said Paul in a press release. The Republican bill to abolish the Education Department arrives as part of a broader push by the GOP to scale back federal involvement in schooling, a goal popular on the right for decades.
Abolish Education Department: A One-Line Bill With A Long History
This isn’t the first time Congressional Republicans have tried dismantling the Education Department. Senator Paul had introduced similar legislation in 2020 and 2021. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) has repeatedly championed a companion effort in the House, as ABC News noted. Massie’s House bill, which was most recently filed as H.R. 899 at the start of the 119th Congress, is one sentence long, changing only the termination date each time it’s reintroduced.
While previous attempts to end the Education Department stalled, GOP lawmakers argue that the need for action is more urgent than ever. Republican bills to abolish Education Department proposals have often been statements of principle. What’s different now is the political wind at their backs – thanks mainly to President Donald Trump’s recent actions.
Trump’s Education Department Executive Order Sets The Stage
The reintroduction of the abolition bill comes on the heels of Donald Trump’s Education Department agenda. Trump made eliminating the Education Department a key campaign promise in 2024 and moved swiftly to act after returning to the White House. In March 2025, he signed an executive order calling for the closure of the federal education agency.
This Education Department executive order directed his administration to begin dismantling the Education Department, although legally, only Congress can close the Education Department for good. Trump’s push goes beyond rhetoric – he’s actively planning to the Education Department’s responsibilities elsewhere. For example, the president announced plans to move the federal student loan program out of the Education Department. The entire $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio would be handed to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to manage. “The SBA…will handle all of the student loan portfolio,” Trump declared, as reported by NPR, touting that it would be serviced “much better” outside the Education Department. These moves are intended to close the Education Department in practice, dispersing its duties throughout the government.
Abolish Education Department: Legislative Hurdles And Long Odds
Even with Trump’s backing and Republicans controlling the House and the Senate, the plan to eliminate the Education Department faces steep legislative hurdles. In the House, Rep. Massie’s Education Department abolition bill (H.R. 899) was introduced on January 31, 2025 and referred to the Education and Workforce Committee. House GOP leadership could bring it up for a vote, which would likely pass on a party-line basis. However, the Senate is another story. While GOP senators like Paul, Lee, and Moreno are enthusiastic, Senate rules require 60 votes, and Republicans would need Democrat support to close the Education Department, which is exceedingly unlikely. As The Guardian noted, the bill is unlikely to advance even in a Republican-controlled Senate next year.
The Upshot Of The New Bill To Abolish The Education Department
The newly reintroduced Republican bill to abolish the Education Department aligns with Trump’s education agenda. However, barring an unexpected groundswell of support for the bill, the Education Department isn’t likely to vanish by 2026. While the bill’s legislative path is uphill, and the odds of it becoming law in this Congress are incredibly slim, the mere fact that it’s even on the chopping block signals just how far the Overton window has shifted on federal education policy.
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