Senate Democrats Reject Interagency Agreements to Move IDEA and Civil Rights Functions to Other Agencies

Jul 7, 2026

Last week, Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations; and Bernie Sanders, Ranking Member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, led the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in demanding Secretary of Education Linda McMahon “put students first, follow the law, and immediately reverse course on transferring special education programs and civil rights enforcement out of the Department of Education (ED).” Calling the four interagency agreements (IAAs) proposed by ED “outrageous,” the letter states that the IAAs do not follow Congressional intent in key statutes such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other laws that require the Secretary of Education to monitor and oversee the education and vocational rehabilitation services provided by States to millions of students with disabilities. COPAA and partners (which now includes over 735 local, state, and national organizations) have also responded to the announcement of IAAs that seek to transfer the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office for Civil Rights to the Department of Justice. YOU can SIGN a Petition by July 16 to oppose the transfer of IDEA programs to HHS and civil rights functions to DOJ.

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