Rep. Summer Lee Condemns Trump Administration’s Move to Dismantle Department of Education
WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 18, 2025 — Today, Congresswoman Summer L. Lee (PA-12) issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration dismantling major components of the U.S. Department of Education through interagency agreements:
“The Trump Administration’s latest effort toward dismantling the Department of Education is a direct assault on the students, families, and educators who depend on its essential protections. Even Education Secretary Linda McMahon has acknowledged that only Congress has the authority to eliminate the Department. Trump and his administration understand the harm this will inflict on classrooms across the country, but they simply do not care. Cruelty is the point for them, and we’ve said it again and again because this administration does little else but sow chaos and hurt the most vulnerable. Our children deserve better than political stunts that jeopardize their futures. And let’s be clear: an uneducated electorate isn’t a by-product of authoritarianism — it’s a prerequisite for it. We will fight back.”
Throughout her time in Congress, Congresswoman Summer Lee has been a fierce advocate for strengthening and defending public education, fighting to ensure every child has access to safe, well-resourced schools and the opportunities they deserve. She has consistently pushed for investment in public schools, greater support for teachers and staff, and protections for the civil rights of students—particularly those from marginalized and underserved communities. Lee has been vocal against efforts to privatize or undermine public education and has championed policies that expand access to early childhood education, affordable higher education, and student debt relief.
Congresswoman Summer Lee serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on Education and Workforce. Since taking office in January 2023, she has delivered historic levels of federal investment totaling over $2.4 Billion brought back to Western PA, including over $580 million for infrastructure, over $110 million for affordable transit, over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania, and over $55 million on clean energy efforts in and around schools to help keep our kids and communities safe. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fund research institutions, fuel clean manufacturing, fund STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs. Lee and her team have also delivered casework and constituent services to over 3,000 constituents with issues ranging from helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and social security to helping folks secure housing and helping families with immigration support and passports.