FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2026

CONTACT:
media@edtrust.org
202-731-9582

Bipartisan Fiscal Year (FY26) Labor-HHS-ED Bill Released
Statement from Denise Forte, president and CEO of EdTrust, on the release of Fiscal Year 2026 Labor-HHS-ED Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON – “EdTrust supports the bipartisan Labor-HHS-ED funding bill that maintains funding for critical federal education programs that have come under attack this past year. Both President Trump and Secretary McMahon have illegally and unconstitutionally tried to dismantle public education — particularly for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds — through freezing money for schools, terminating programs, repurposing funds, and selling the Department of Education for parts.

“In response to the administration’s defiance of the law, Congress inserted specific language designed to prevent the Trump administration from continuing many of the misguided actions it took in 2025 in fiscal year 2026. While not perfect, this bill stands in stark contrast to the severe budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration and the House of Representatives that would limit educational access and devastate students and families who are already grappling with the nation’s affordability crisis.

“The bill also maintains a legal prohibition from prior appropriations laws that prevents the Department of Education’s programs and offices from being moved to other agencies, which have no expertise or legal authority to administer them. Additionally, Congress has added report language to this agreement specifying that there is no authority that allows the Department of Education’s responsibilities to be transferred. Dismantling the Department increases fragmentation and costs, risking unnecessary and damaging delays and gaps in funding and services. With student success on the line, bipartisan majorities in Congress are stating that the chaos unleashed by this administration is intolerable and must stop.

“This bill is a bipartisan rejection of much of the Trump administration’s vision for education in this country. EdTrust will continue to advocate for a federal role in education that supports a fully and equitably funded public education system that supports all students and will fight against the unlawful transfer of programs, staff, and authorities out from the Department of Education.”

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