Washington, D.C. – Last week, Congressman Emmer led the entire Minnesota Republican congressional delegation in a letter to the leadership of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies urging them to fully defund the Department of Education in their Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations bill.

“By defunding the Department of Education, we are putting our students’ education first. Dismantling the Department of Education will end federal overreach and allow states, parents, and school districts to take control of education and improve children’s learning outcomes,” the lawmakers wrote.

Background
The letter comes as President Trump has made defunding the Department of Education and eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion from education a key component of his America First agenda.

Minnesota Department of Education data reveals a significant, prolonged decline in student proficiency.  In 2024, only 45.5% of Minnesota students were proficient in math and 49.9% were proficient in reading, marking a nearly 10% drop in both math and reading proficiency compared to 2019.

You can read the letter in its entirety here.

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