Democrats Target Trump Education Overhaul After Winning 2 Chambers

3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Nov 9

Democrats plan to use their new House and Senate majorities to investigate, pressure and partially unwind Trump’s education agenda in the final 2 years of his term.
Oversight and appropriations are their strongest tools: lawmakers are preparing hearings, demanding records and weighing spending-bill language to block Education Department outsourcing, office closures and some grant cuts.
Funding fights are likely to center on restoring teacher-training, child-care and college-access grants, shoring up Pell as it faces a projected $17 billion shortfall in 2027, and stabilizing research money.
Trump still limits what Congress can reverse because many changes were made through executive authority, and Democrats may need Republican votes, budget reconciliation or broader bipartisan bills to overcome veto threats.
The biggest flashpoints include the department’s downsizing, civil-rights enforcement priorities, graduate loan limits and a voucher-style tax credit projected to cut federal revenue by about $26 billion over 10 years.