Linda McMahon punches back at senators questioning Education Department cuts

Education Secretary Linda McMahon shared plans to hire more lawyers to work on civil rights cases after she said too many were fired last year. Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images In a fiery hearing Tuesday, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon defended her work dismantling the very department she leads, with Senate Democrats saying the results have made life harder for parents and students. McMahon's first appearance on Capitol Hill in nearly a year was intended to unpack the White House proposal on education spending for the 2027 fiscal year — and gave senators a chance to take stock of McMahon's actions. Some Republicans, including Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, cheered McMahon's changes, like her push for expanding school choice, while many shared the concerns of their Democratic counterparts about proposed cuts to TRIO, a group of federal programs that help disadvantaged students get into and through college. In one testy exchange, Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington asked why parents must now contact more than one federal agency for services that were once solely provided by the Education Department. McMahon retorted that she disagreed with Murray's characterization and said that regardless of which agencies federal education programs are housed in, parents will "still get the same treatment, the same funding." Here are some of the key issues raised at the hearing: On federal spending for special education The Trump administration's budget proposal includes $16 billion for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal law that guarantees students with disabilities a "free appropriate public education." That's one area where the department is proposing to boost spending by $539 million over last year. "We've been clear. Shifting authority back to the states will not come at the expense of essential federal programs," said McMahon of the requested increase. Yet McMahon has also pledged to shift supervision and enforcement of IDEA to other agencies as a part of its effort to dismantle the Education Department, a move many special education advocates oppose. When asked about those efforts, McMahon said while her team is still making a final decision, the departments of Labor and Health and Human Services are two potential homes for special education. To that, Murray said she has heard from parents and advocates who are "spitting mad, because they want to ensure their child with a disability has an education." "Moving [special education] out of the department is not only undermining that," Murray said, "but it's a direct message to them that their health is more important than their education." Advocates argue that placing special education in HHS would categorize students' disabilities as a health concern instead of focusing on ensuring they receive a high-quality, equitable education. McMahon pushed back and promised that no matter where special education programs are housed, students would be treated the same way as before. On protecting students' civil rights The other key office at the Education Department that ensures schools follow federal disability law is the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The department fields a range of discrimination complaints from students, including on the basis of race, sex and national origin. But those involving students with disabilities have historically made up the largest share of its investigations. The new budget proposes slashing OCR funding by 35%. But McMahon said, "I'm not agreeing to that," in response to questions from Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat. Murphy said he was dismayed by the proposed cut, citing the story of a student with autism who had been restrained and secluded at her school. OCR was investigating the case until McMahon was sworn in and the local field office was shut down, Murphy said. In March 2025, the administration fired more t