Senate Education Committee Republican Chairman Bill Cassidy said he agreed with Democrats that special education programs should not be moved to the Department of Health and Human Services.
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WASHINGTON – A Senate committee is considering a vote in July to block the Trump administration from transferring core functions of federal special education programs to the Department of Health and Human Services, which Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would oversee.
The move is one of the most dramatic changes in President Donald Trump’s year-long campaign to dismantle the Department of Education, and immediately caused alarm among disability rights groups, who fear it could ultimately disrupt services for students with disabilities. Critics specifically pointed to a pattern of RFK Jr.’s controversial past statements about autism (he said in a press conference last year that autism “destroys families”).
Federal officials have not yet laid out a firm timeline for the bold shift, but internal communications to employees have also assured students’ rights will continue to be protected. The outline of the new interagency partnership says it “will not impact students, parents or families.”
President Kennedy said in a statement that the changes will “provide more effective support for individuals with disabilities and their families.”
“Together, we will improve educational and employment outcomes, protect the rights of individuals with disabilities, and help all children reach their full potential,” he said.
But one leading Republican lawmaker doesn’t share that view. And the strategically placed opposition could cause problems on Capitol Hill in the coming weeks for both Mr. Kennedy and Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, who has increasingly opposed President Trump’s policies since losing a primary election earlier this year, said he opposes the dramatic change.
“I agree that it should not be moved to HHS,” he said during a June 17 meeting of the Senate Education Committee, which he chairs. “Let’s put that on record.” He said if the special education department needs to be moved to another agency, he would prefer it be transferred to the Department of Labor.
Cassidy publicly promised Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) that he would vote in committee next month on a measure that would prevent HHS from running programs in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services. Kaine’s effort could gain traction in the Senate, as several moderate Republican senators, including Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, also serve on the committee.
Kaine called the Department of Education’s Office of Special Education the “core” agency that lawmakers care about most and said he was confident lawmakers on both sides of the aisle would support his policies. He criticized the Trump campaign for attempting to functionally eliminate him without formal approval from Congress.
“He has treated the Department of Education like it’s a going-out-of-business sale of discount furniture outlet stores,” Cain said.
Zachary Schermele is USA TODAY’s Congressional Correspondent. You can email us at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and on Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social..
