KY congressman reintroduces bill to abolish U.S. Department of Education

Measure aims to shift education control to states

February 3, 2025

Walker Simmons,

WASHINGTON (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) — A bill proposed by a Kentucky congressman seeks to abolish the U.S. Department of Education.

For the fifth time as a U.S. representative, Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie is reintroducing legislation that would eliminate the department.

According to Massie, H.R. 899 is a one-sentence bill that, if passed, would dissolve the department on December 31, 2026.

The bill was first introduced in 2017 and has been reintroduced in every Congress since, including 2019, 2021, 2023, and now 2025.

One local legislator believes the bill is more symbolic than practical.

“I think it’s a statement piece of legislation, I think it makes a good statement,” said Kentucky State Senator Lindsey Tichenor. “And even though this probably won’t pass, we won’t see a complete stripping away of the Department of Education, it gets people thinking of how can we shrink this.”

With the Trump administration in office, reports indicate that more than 50 senior-level employees at the Department of Education are currently on paid administrative leave.

Meanwhile, the bill’s support has grown over the years, reaching a peak of 33 co-sponsors in 2023.

Tichenor shared her thoughts on what would happen to tax dollars if education were left solely to state control.

“I think returning the responsibility back to the state, I know we could do it, we could control the distribution of those funds, that are our funds to begin with,” she said. “I think if it’s in local control, we’re going to spend it a lot more frugally,” said Tichenor

ABC 36 has reached out to the Kentucky Democratic Party for comment.

Kentucky Democratic Party Executive Director Morgan Eaves sent us the following statement:

Thomas Massie’s proposal does nothing but hurt Kentucky students, educators, and our entire Commonwealth at large.

Republicans would decimate Kentucky’s rural public schools, which are a lifeline to the communities they serve and depend on federal funding to keep their lights on. Our public education system is already staring down the barrel of a $40 million shortfall because of careless Republicans in Frankfort. A total elimination of the Department of Education would be devastating to Kentucky.