Hoyer Statement on President Trump's Illegal Actions at the Department of Education

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Member of the House Appropriations Committee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee, released the following statement on President Trump’s reported action to unlawfully eliminate roughly half of the Department of Education's federal employees:

"The great Marylander Frederick Douglass once said, 'it is easier to build strong children than it is to repair broken men.' Donald Trump's illegal purge of the Department of Education means there will be many more broken people to repair in America.

"Dismantling the Department of Education puts our nation's children at an immense disadvantage. This is the agency that ensures all our students – no matter their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or disability status – receive equal treatment under the law and in the classroom. The Department helps our schools prepare the next generation to become productive workers who strengthen our economy and principled citizens who strengthen our democracy.

"Neither the Constitution nor the law leave any doubt: the president cannot abolish a department created by Congress or withhold appropriated funds. Already, Trump is moving to terminate half the Department's staff. Allowing him to continue this assault further jeopardizes our Congress' power, our country's ability to compete, and – most importantly – our children's future."