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Hearing Recap: “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education”

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 4, 2025
Today’s Education and Workforce Committee hearing with Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon made one thing clear: the status quo is not fine, and it’s time for a change in our nation’s education system.  


Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) started off the hearing by highlighting where our education system has been failing students. 

“Our K-12 education performance is abysmal. At the postsecondary level, the national six-year graduation rate is just over 60 percent. In other words, our colleges and universities would get an F on their primary responsibility. And the college-for-all mentality driven by the previous administration’s student loan schemes has only made the problem worse. Our education system has failed to prepare a workforce with the skills employers need,” he said.


Secretary McMahon echoed the administration’s strong support for school choice and charter schools in an exchange with  Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC). “What I’ve seen at charter schools is the innovation that they are allowed to use that you don’t see in a lot of our public schools…” and that whether the education option is “homeschooling, charter schools, public schools, private schools, [or] religious schools,” the President “wants to make all the opportunity available to everyone in the country.” 

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) highlighted the effectiveness of the oversight work being done by both the administration and the Committee on the issue of antisemitism. “Harvard has failed to save itself. They are responding to the exceptional work of this Committee and the accountability measures that this administration has put into place. I want to thank you for your leadership and President Trump for his leadership,” Rep. Stefanik said. 


When discussing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) with Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), Secretary McMahon explained how these policies conflict with American ideals. “DEI did more to separate and provide more segregation ideas because it pitted oppressor versus oppressed,” she said.



Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA) asked about the reforms to Pell Grants that the recently-passed budget bill includes. “Having built a small business, I have experienced firsthand how hard it is to obtain skilled and qualified workers. We’ve got to bridge that gap,” he explained. Secretary McMahon echoed support for these reforms and explained how these changes would improve the workforce. “Short-term Pell Grants [would] provide those opportunities to learn and gain a skill and get into the workforce much faster. It’s good for employees, it’s good for employers,” she said. 



Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) highlighted how this administration’s education funding plan helps schools educate students and cuts bureaucratic waste. Secretary McMahon explained, “What we want to do is to make more money available to go directly to the states… Every dollar that goes to a state, a teacher is spending about 47 cents of that dollar in regulatory compliance. But if we can get rid of a lot of the red tape that goes along with those grants and those requirements, then there’s more money for the states.” Rep. McClain responded rhetorically, “Who could not be for that?”

During a discussion with Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) about how to increase the payoff of college degrees, Secretary McMahon voiced her support for H.R. 1’s reforms to student loans. “I would like to see colleges and universities have more skin in the game. Because if they have more skin in the game, they are going to make sure that the subjects and degrees they are offering are going to provide diplomas and pathways to employment which helps most students repay their loans,” she said.

Bottom line: Republicans are fighting to reduce bureaucracy and return power to educators, students, and parents.
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