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Congress Rejects Trump's Bid to Slash Education Department Funding
Bipartisan spending law gives the Department of Education a small budget increase, defying the president's efforts to dismantle the agency.
Feb. 5, 2026 at 10:55pm
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In a setback for President Donald Trump, Congress has approved a spending law that provides the U.S. Department of Education with $79 billion in funding for the current fiscal year - roughly $217 million more than the previous year and $12 billion above what the president had requested. The measure rejects Trump's attempts to dramatically reduce or eliminate funding for the 46-year-old agency as part of his broader push to 'send education back to the states'.
Why it matters
Trump and his administration have sought over the past year to dismantle the Education Department, including through mass layoffs, downsizing plans, and shifting responsibilities to other agencies. This bipartisan spending law represents a significant rebuke of those efforts and preserves the department's role in overseeing federal education programs and funding for low-income and disadvantaged students.
The details
The spending package rejects the president's calls to cut funding for key programs like Federal TRIO, GEAR UP, and the Child Care Access Means Parents in School initiative. It also maintains the maximum Pell Grant award at $7,395, after the administration sought to reduce it by nearly $1,700. While the law does not completely block the outsourcing of Education Department responsibilities, it requires regular briefings to Congress on any such transfers to ensure 'efficiencies' and avoid 'delays and administrative challenges'.
- The president signed the spending measure on February 6, 2026.
- In March 2025, the Education Department initiated mass layoffs and a plan to dramatically downsize the agency, efforts that were temporarily greenlit by the U.S. Supreme Court in July of that year.
The players
Donald Trump
The 45th President of the United States who sought to dramatically slash funding for the U.S. Department of Education and dismantle the agency as part of his broader agenda.
Patty Murray
The Democratic Senator from Washington state and top member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, who stated that the spending law sends a message that 'Congress will NOT abolish the Department of Education'.
U.S. Department of Education
The federal agency responsible for establishing policies and administering programs related to education, including funding for low-income and disadvantaged students.
What they’re saying
“Our funding bills send a message to Trump. Congress will NOT abolish the Department of Education.”
— Patty Murray, U.S. Senator
What’s next
The spending law directs the Education Department and other agencies involved in the transfer of responsibilities to provide biweekly briefings to lawmakers on the implementation of any interagency agreements.
The takeaway
This spending law represents a significant bipartisan rebuke of the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, preserving the agency's role in overseeing federal education programs and funding for vulnerable students. It underscores the challenges the president has faced in enacting his agenda, even with a Republican-controlled Congress.
