Senate panel considers vote to shield special education from RFK Jr.’s agency
WASHINGTON – A Senate committee is considering a vote in July to prevent the Trump administration from transferring core functions of federal special education programs to the Health and Human Services Department, which is overseen by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The move – one of the most dramatic changes in President Donald Trump’s yearlong crusade to dismantle the Education Department – immediately set off alarm among disability rights groups, who fear it could eventually disrupt services for students with disabilities. Critics pointed to RFK Jr.’s pattern of controversial past statements about autism in particular (he said during a press conference last year that the condition “destroys families”).
Though federal officials have not yet provided a clear timeline for the bold shift – even in internal communications to employees – they’ve promised that students’ rights will continue to be protected. A summary of the new interagency partnership says it “will not impact students, parents or families.”
In a statement, Kennedy said the change will “deliver more effective support for individuals with disabilities and their families.”
“Together, we will improve education and employment outcomes, uphold the rights of individuals with disabilities, and help every child reach their full potential,” he said.
One key Republican lawmaker, however, doesn’t share that view. And that strategically placed opposition could spell trouble on Capitol Hill in the coming weeks for both Kennedy and Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican who has hardened his opposition to Trump’s policies since losing his primary election earlier this year, said he opposes the seismic change.
“I agree that that should not be moved to HHS,” he said during a June 17 meeting of the Senate’s education committee, which he chairs. “Let me just put that on the record.” If the special education division has to be moved to another agency, he said he would prefer that it go to the Labor Department.
Cassidy publicly promised Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, a committee vote next month on a measure that would prevent HHS from administering programs in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. With several moderate Republican senators, including Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Maine’s Susan Collins, also serving on the panel, Kaine’s effort has the potential to gain momentum in the Senate.
Kaine said he was confident that members on both sides of the aisle could support his measure, calling the Education Department’s special education office the “core” of the agency that lawmakers care most about. And he criticized Trump’s campaign to functionally get rid of the department without official congressional approval.
“He’s treated the Department of Education as if it’s a going-out-of-business sale of a discount furniture outlet,” Kaine said.
Zachary Schermele is the congressional correspondent for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on USA Today
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