Dr. Invoice Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana and chair of the Senate HELP Committee, led the listening to and voted to advance McMahon’s nomination to the Senate ground.
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This story was up to date at 2 p.m.
Linda McMahon’s bid to develop into the subsequent schooling secretary moved ahead Thursday after a Senate panel voted 12–11 alongside occasion traces to advance her nomination.
McMahon has “demonstrated a powerful imaginative and prescient for the Division of Schooling” and is “the associate this committee wants to enhance the nation’s schooling system,” mentioned Dr. Invoice Cassidy, the committee chair from Louisiana. “I proudly help Mrs. McMahon’s nomination.”
Republicans on the Well being, Schooling, Labor and Pensions Committee additionally largely praised McMahon on the previous listening to on Feb. 13, saying they couldn’t consider a greater individual to steer the nation’s schooling system.
They used their questions to make sure the nominee acknowledged that solely Congress has the statutory energy to hold out Trump’s plan to abolish the Schooling Division—to which she mentioned, “Nicely, actually President Trump understands that we are going to be working with Congress.” Along with shutting down or lowering the scale of the division, McMahon made clear on the listening to that she helps combating campus antisemitism, prohibiting trans girls from taking part in sports activities and eliminating variety, fairness and inclusion packages.
Because the listening to, the Schooling Division launched a sweeping Expensive Colleague letter that directs faculties to finish any race-based insurance policies or programming in Okay-12 colleges and faculties by Feb. 28. The letter, which focused “each side of academia,” has acquired important pushback from the general public.
Senator Bernie Sanders, an Unbiased from Vermont, additionally pointed to a latest Fact Social submit wherein Trump wrote, “LONG LIVE THE KING!” Sanders emphasised that such language makes clear that it doesn’t matter who the secretary of schooling is, as a result of they gained’t be the one calling the photographs.
“Whether or not facetiously or not—and I think not fairly facetiously—[Trump] talked about being a king,” he mentioned. “This nice nation, based on democratic rules, based round a separation of powers … is shifting increasingly towards an authoritarian society.”
Democratic senators Maggie Hassan, from New Hampshire, and Tim Kaine, from Virginia, additionally spoke out towards McMahon’s affirmation. However their opposition wasn’t sufficient to sway Republicans on the committee, and it doubtless gained’t have an effect on the ultimate vote to verify McMahon on the Senate ground.
As anticipated, McMahon has confronted little opposition from Republicans through the affirmation course of, regardless of her lack of expertise and experience in schooling, Trump’s plans to remove the division she would lead, or his latest government actions to chop funding. In comparison with a few of the president’s earlier cupboard picks, McMahon—a profitable businesswoman and former chief of the Small Enterprise Affiliation—was deemed comparatively uncontroversial.
You’ll be able to learn reside play-by-play updates from McMahon’s listening to right here.
In contrast, Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination to be lawyer normal amid sexual misconduct allegations, and Pete Hegseth required a tie-breaking vote from Vice President JD Vance to develop into secretary of protection.
Throughout her affirmation listening to, McMahon carried herself with poise, responding to questions calmly and coherently; even when she didn’t know the solutions, she appeared curious and congenial and indicated curiosity in studying extra about how the division features. She additionally made it some extent to speak to every of the panel members earlier than discussions started, which contributed to her leaving a usually constructive impression; even Sanders mentioned at Thursday’s vote that he appreciated her “personally.”
However Oklahoma senator Markwayne Mullin, the one Republican to talk at Thursday’s vote except for Cassidy, mentioned on the finish of the day, his help for McMahon was pushed by a necessity for change in America’s schooling system. When the Schooling Division was based in 1979, the U.S. was ranked No. 1 globally in teachers; now, the nation is ranked thirty fourth, he mentioned.
“I don’t know how one can presumably say with a straight face that it’s working. What we’re doing is the definition of madness,” Mullin added. “We’re repeating the identical factor and anticipating completely different outcomes. God forbid that President Trump is available in and really desires to make adjustments … So with that being mentioned, I’m all for change and I’m a particular sure.”
The complete Senate vote will doubtless be held within the subsequent two weeks. As soon as formally acknowledged as secretary, McMahon will probably be an vital arrow in Trump’s quiver, as she’s seen as devoted to finishing up the president’s agenda, from abolishing the company to stripping sure establishments of entry to federal scholar assist when they don’t align with the president’s beliefs.
