Representatives John W. Mannion (NY-22), Robert C. ‘Bobby’ Scott (VA-03), and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) Lead Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Key Offices and Programs at the[...]

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representatives John W. Mannion (NY-22), a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the Committee, and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) today introduced bipartisan legislation to protect key offices and programs at the U.S. Department of Education from being transferred through interagency agreements to other federal agencies that lack the staff, experience, and expertise needed to administer them.

The legislation is the House companion to S.5046, a bipartisan bill led by Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) that advanced out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in July.

Representative John W. Mannion said, "Congress created the Department of Education, and its troubling we must take this step to preserve the constitutional order and stop the executive branch from illegally dismantling the department. I'll continue to put students' services and rights first, and I strongly oppose all efforts to move these critical education programs - including those serving students with disabilities - to agencies that lack the staff and expertise."

Education and Workforce Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott said "The Trump Administration's plan to illegally dismantle the Department of Education is disastrous for students, educators, people with disabilities, and the communities that support them. I will not stand on the sidelines and let this Administration dismantle this agency brick by brick. This legislation is important to keep the bipartisan momentum from the Senate going and defend the programs that so many Americans rely on."

Representative Brian Fitzpatrick said, "The families I represent should never have to wonder whether a federal reorganization will cost their child a service, a protection, or an opportunity. When concerns were raised about moving OSERS out of the Department of Education, I took those concerns directly to the Administration and demanded answers about how it would protect IDEA, preserve critical resources, and prevent disruption for students. This legislation builds on that effort. As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, I will continue working side by side with families, educators, and advocates to ensure their voices drive the decisions that shape special education."

The bipartisan bill safeguards programs serving students with disabilities, K-12 schools, colleges, and Native students. It prohibits the Secretary of Education from transferring programs overseen by four Department of Education offices:

Phyllis Wolfram, Executive Director of The Council of Administrators of Special Education, said, "The Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) thanks Representatives John Mannion and Brian Fitzpatrick for introducing bipartisan legislation prohibiting the transfer of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OSERS) and three other offices out of the Department of Education. IDEA is an education law, not a health care law, and should remain under the administration of education experts."

Chan Rummel, CEO of the Council for Exception Children, said, "CEC commends Representative Mannion and Ranking Member Scott for their leadership on this important legislation, which aims to protect key functions of the Department of Education, including the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Transferring special education to the Department of Health and Human Services is misguided-it segregates special education from other education programs and jeopardizes the rights of students with disabilities."

Stephanie Smith Lee, Policy & Advocacy Co-Director of The National Down Syndrome Congress, said, "The National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) strongly supports the bipartisan bill introduced by Representative Mannion, Representative Fitzpatrick, and Ranking Member Scott, that would block the administration from transferring the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), and the Office of Indian Education (OIE) to other Departments through interagency agreements or other means. It is critically important to students, schools, and states that these offices remain together at the U.S. Department of Education."

Joseph P. Joyce, President and CEO of the Autism Society of America, said, "Students with Autism and other disabilities deserve a coordinated federal system that protects their rights and supports them from education through employment. We thank Representatives Scott and Mannion for introducing this legislation to prevent the transfer of critical IDEA functions out of the Department of Education. Congress must preserve the expertise and infrastructure that students with disabilities and their families rely on to access the education and supports they need to thrive."

Representative Mannion has consistently opposed efforts to abolish the Department of Education, introducing the Protecting Students with Disabilities Act that would prohibit federal funds from being used to eliminate or restructure Department of Education offices that administer programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including the Office of Special Education Programs. Mannion has also repeatedly used his position on the House Committee on Education and Workforce to defend IDEA and the rights of students with disabilities.

Representative Mannion taught science in public schools for nearly 30 years, including in a 15:1 special education classroom. Before serving in Congress, he was the founding chair of the New York State Senate Committee on Disabilities.

# # #