Congressman Robert Aderholt tasked U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona with a number of topics during a House budget hearing Wednesday.
In his remarks, Aderholt began by confronting Cardona about the Department of Education's efforts to water down Title IX.
“Last year, when you appeared before this subcommittee, I and many of my colleagues advocated for forcing schools to put biological male teenagers in women’s locker rooms and eliminating unfair competition on the playing field. “I expressed disbelief in the department's proposed Title Nine regulations that would facilitate this,” he said. Aderholt.
“The original purpose of Title Nine was to protect women, so your department's delay in finalizing this misguided rule shows that this proposal will harm women and girls in sports and I hope it shows that the government agrees with the majority of the American people that this is going to set us back a decade.”
The lawmaker's next set of questions focused on the department's proposed 2025 budget.
“Turning to the proposed budget, I am concerned about the new programs, increases and cuts proposed in the 2025 budget and what they say about the department's priorities,” Aderholt said. “$25 million for new preschool demonstrations, $10 million for unnecessary efforts to foster diverse schools, and an administrative account to implement student loan debt transfers funded by a new budget device. These are just some of the issues that concern me.''
Aderholt said the budget should cover established educational necessities to minimize student absenteeism from school.
“Rather than creating new programs and inevitably increasing bureaucracy, I think our education budget needs to get back to basics.Four years since schools closed across this country 26 percent of all students are still chronically absent from school.
“For the poorest students, that figure rises to a staggering 32 per cent. It is clear that if children are not in school, they are not learning.”
He asked Cardona how the new budget request would improve the quality of education in the United States.
“With the proposals in your budget, how can we get these kids back into the classroom? How do we deal with this? How do we regain the trust of our parents?”
RELATED: Rep. Robert Aderholt brings more than $42 million in projects to 4th District
“These are difficult issues that need to be addressed in the budget.”
Aderholt also asked about recent funding cuts to charter schools.
“I am similarly troubled by your department’s proposal to cut charter school funding by $40 million,” Aderholt said. “This program has been flat-funded for five years, and charter schools have outperformed traditional public schools in student achievement.”
“As our nation faces soaring debt and inflation, our goal should be to invest in effective education. is not suitable.”
The cancellation of student loans was a major issue at the hearing.
“Your budget also proposes a $600 million increase to the Department’s Office, which oversees federal student aid programs, including the Student Loan Cancellation Program,” Aderholt noted. “Despite the Supreme Court striking down the president’s signature one-time student loan cancellation program, your department is doubling down on loan cancellations through other means.”
Aderholt claimed that Cardona's department “bragged” that it had canceled $144 billion in student loans to date.
“This does not even take into account the new loan repayment plan that the department unilaterally created last year, which cuts borrower payments in half and accelerates loan forgiveness for some borrowers. Make repayments more generous.'' Last September, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the repayment program would cost $260 billion over a 10-year budgetary period. ”
RELATED: Aderholt on TikTok bill: 'This is about the Chinese Communist government'
“It's clear that the department's student loan forgiveness policy is unfair to Americans who didn't go to college or pay off their loans, and we want students to borrow more and send the bill to taxpayers. It sends a dangerous message.”
Aderholt also addressed a fundamental issue he believes the current administration is moving in the wrong direction: freedom of speech.
“We also continue to hear about how free speech is under attack on college campuses across the country. Our universities support free academic inquiry and encourage the expression and exchange of diverse ideas. It should be a place,” Aderholt continued.
“So it's alarming to hear about speakers being uninvited at events, being yelled at in anger, and faculty being fired for expressing opinions that don't conform to prevailing ideas on campus. That’s it.”
He also cited statistics that show just how endangered free speech on college campuses really is.
“According to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, more than half of the students surveyed for the 2024 College Free Speech Rankings Report, or 56%, are worried about reputational damage because someone misunderstood what they said or did. “I answered,” Aderholt revealed. “Twenty-eight percent of students said they self-censored 'quite often' or 'very often' during class discussions. One in five students said it was unclear whether campus administration was protecting free speech, and 43% said it was “somewhat” clear that free speech was protected. Ta.
“These statistics are concerning. We can and must do better.”
Austin Shipley is a staff writer at Yellowhammer News.
Do not miss it! Subscribe now Get the top Alabama headlines delivered to your inbox.
