‘We’re gonna go after that’: DOGE Oversight Committee takes aim at the Department of Education
The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been busy disrupting several United States agencies. Amid the chaos with USAID, DOGE is planning to target the Department of Education next.
In an interview with Jessica Dean from CNN, Representative Tim Burchett talked about his role at DOGE. Burchett, part of the DOGE Oversight Committee, says that he intends to inspect several government programs and agencies. More specifically, he has his eyes set on the Department of Education. The Tennessee representative said, “You’re going to see the Department of Education squeal…because we’re going to go after that.”
Burchett claimed that the United States was first in education before the government agency was founded by former President Jimmy Carter. It’s important to note that his claim is unfounded and that it’s a hoax spread by Elon Musk through X. Nevertheless, the Tennessee representative believes that block grants should be given to states instead. Funding in this way will absolve the need for the Department of Education.
Dean brought up that special education funding is taken from the federal government. Without the Department of Education, the services and education for special needs kids will be affected. Burchett argued that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. He asserted, “You have too much money that’s tied up because of too many special programs. And nobody’s talking about cutting off programs to special needs kids or kids they’re doing with that.” Curriculums and programs are not just decided by the state but also by schools. Through this logic, the need to dismantle the Department of Education is unclear.
The Tennessee representative believes that once funding is passed on to states, there will be less fraud or waste. He went on to blame unions for hoarding money—yet another allegation backed with no evidence. Although he and Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG) are committed to cutting expenditure, it’s unclear what he and Greene are likely to determine as wasteful programs. Understandably, there’s fear regarding the shutdown of the agency, but even Burchett, Greene, and DOGE are limited in their ability. They can disrupt but can’t enforce the shutdown of the Department of Education.
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