By Maria Carrasco, NASFAA Staff Reporter
As the House begins the process of drafting its budget for fiscal year (FY) 2026 by gathering testimony from administration officials, Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Wednesday defended President Donald Trump’s “skinny” budget proposal, which makes several cuts to campus-based aid and other Department of Education (ED) programs, during an appropriations hearing focused on education-related funding.
The hearing, which focused on both K-12 and higher education funding, was led by Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), chair of the appropriations subcommittee overseeing ED, who commended McMahon and the Trump administration on their efforts to “restore education to the states.” During his opening remarks, Aderholt criticized the Biden administration, particularly its student loan forgiveness initiatives, an effort he claimed has created confusion for borrowers on how to repay their student loans.
“In higher education, there are bright spots with bipartisan support, such as Pell Grants, which help lower-income students pay for college,” Aderholt said. “But the prior Administration somehow made a broken financial aid system worse, injecting more politics into the student loan program.”
Aderholt went on to claim that Republicans’ reconciliation efforts seek to revise the Biden administration’s policies on student financial aid.
A key issue Democrats focused on during the hearing was ED’s reduction in force (RIF), where nearly half of the department was laid off. During questioning, McMahon confirmed that the department ultimately reinstated roughly 74 employees who were initially eliminated as part of the RIF.
“When you are restructuring a company, you hope that you’re just cutting fat,” McMahon said. “Sometimes you cut a little in the muscle, and you realize it as you are continuing your programs, and you can bring people back.”
In her opening remarks, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), ranking member of the subcommittee, said McMahon and the Trump administration are infringing on Congress’ budgetary authority by eliminating ED programs and laying off thousands of employees. DeLauro reminded McMahon that only Congress has the power to terminate the department.
“It is clear that your mission is to dismantle our federal investments in the nation's public education,” DeLauro said. “But let me be clear with you, you will not have the partnership of Congress in your efforts to destroy the Department of Education and eliminate public education in this nation, not on our watch. We will go over your plans to suffocate your own department and slash our investments in the education of our children and in students hoping to obtain a college degree.”
Notably, Trump’s budget proposal would completely eliminate the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) program and cut the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program by $980 million. DeLauro stressed the importance of these programs for low-income students to help finance their education.
McMahon, in her opening remarks, defended Trump’s budget proposal, saying the document is part of the “final mission” of dissolving ED, and “cuts waste and gives education back to the states.” McMahon’s entire written testimony is available online.
Multiple Democratic lawmakers raised concerns to McMahon about the administration’s proposal to eliminate federal TRIO programs. McMahon said that while the TRIO programs provide services to students, institutions are already reaching out to students in local communities. She added that students should also be told more about the skills they can develop.
Additionally, Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) asked McMahon if she could commit to spending the money Congress appropriates ED in the 2026 budget. McMahon said ED will abide by the law.
One lawmaker asked McMahon on ED’s progress with the FAFSA after the tumultuous rollout of the 2024-25 FAFSA. McMahon said this year’s FAFSA is “proceeding as it should,” and the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) is making “great strides” in FAFSA programming.
Other topics discussed during the budgetary hearing was the federal student loan portfolio and the status of student loan repayment. McMahon noted that ED has restarted the Treasury Offset Program, and is on the “right track” to getting borrowers to repay their loans.
From here, the House and Senate must work together to create a budget for FY 2026 before the September 30, 2025 deadline. McMahon’s Senate hearing has not yet been scheduled, but the secretary has indicated that she will “soon” testify before a Senate appropriations subcommittee.
Stay tuned to Today’s News for more updates on the appropriations process.
Publication Date: 5/22/2025
David S | 5/22/2025 7:53:16 PM
You can't say that education needs to be turned over to the state because the federal government should have no role in it, and then simultaneously tell colleges and universities who they can and can't admit, who they can and can't hire, and what they can and can't teach.
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