House Republicans Push 10 Bills to Downsize ED

On July 9, 2026, House Republicans, led by Education and Workforce Committee Chair Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan, introduced 10 bills that would codify and continue the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the Department of Education by formally transferring the statutory responsibilities for most K-12 and higher education programs to other federal agencies. Notably, the package does not include the June 16 agreements to shift special education and certain civil rights functions to the Departments of Health and Human Services and Justice, and there has been no companion legislation introduced in the Senate. Higher Ed Dive reports that critics, such as the Education Department employees union and Democratic lawmakers, argue the bills would not create efficiency but instead produce more red tape, funding delays, confusion, and a lack of accountability, effectively dismantling the department by offloading its core duties to agencies ill-equipped to carry them out.