Senate Republicans have introduced a bill that could pave the way for the destruction of the Department of Education, which was a campaign pledge of President-elect Trump.

Lawmaker Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) proposed the Returning Education to Our States Act, which would transfer federal funding to the states instead of the federal government and abolish the Education Department, as Fox News reported.

If states abuse the funds, the Department of Treasury can withhold federal grants according to the bill. Rounds spoke out against the Education Department as he discussed the measure.

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“The federal Department of Education has never educated a single student, and it’s long past time to end this bureaucratic department that causes more harm than good,” Rounds said.

“We all know local control is best when it comes to education. Local school boards and state Departments of Education know best what their students need, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.”

After Trump included the Education Department in his re-election platform, the movement to defund it gained steam.

“We spend more money per pupil than any other country by far, and yet we’re at the bottom of the list out of 40,” Trump said during a rally. “We’re ranked about number 40, and I’m going to close the Department of Education and move education back to the states, and we’re going to do it fast.”

Origins of the Initiative

Since the department's creation in 1979, the concept of ending the federal government's involvement in education has been explored.

Dole, a former Senate majority leader, and Reagan, a former president, both demanded its abolition. But with such a razor-thin Republican majority in the next Congress, dismantling the department will be an uphill battle.

It would necessitate the backing of certain Democrats in order to pass the Senate, as bills typically necessitate 60 votes.

Democrats, who see the Department of Education as vital for guaranteeing equal access to education across the nation, are strongly opposed, thus this seems implausible.

Opposition From Lawmakers

“I am staunchly opposed to President-elect Trump’s education agenda, which seeks to abolish the Department of Education, eliminate funding for low-income and rural K-12 schools, scrap the expansion of school meals, and make it more difficult for student borrowers to repay their loans,” Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) the ranking Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee, said in a statement.

The 25 projects that will be transferred to other federal agencies were highlighted by Rounds, who recognized that the department houses essential programs.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has stated his intention to file comparable legislation in the House within the first few weeks of the next Congressional session, while Rounds is spearheading the effort in the Senate.