00:00Madam Secretary, you are recognized for your testimony. Welcome.
00:06Make sure the microphone is on.
00:10That helps for you to hear me, right?
00:13Good morning, Chairman Wahlberg, Ranking Member Scott, and distinguished members of the committee.
00:19Thank you for having me today to represent the goal I share with my boss, President Trump,
00:25to responsibly eliminate federal bureaucracy, cut waste, and give education back to states, parents, and educators.
00:34With your partnership, the fiscal year 26 budget will take a significant step toward that goal.
00:41We seek to shrink federal bureaucracy, save taxpayer money, and empower states who best know their local needs to manage their education in this country.
00:52We have reviewed our programs and identified spending that does not fulfill the mandate of trust the American people have placed in President Trump.
01:01We have cut old contracts that were enriching private parties at taxpayer expense, suspended grants for illegal DEI programs,
01:10and now are putting forward a responsible budget request that reduces the department funding by more than 15%.
01:17At the same time, we are working to make American education great again.
01:22In our conversation with governors, teachers, and parents across the country, we hear calls for accountability and more local control.
01:32That's our goal, to give parents access to the quality education their kids deserve,
01:38to fix the broken higher education industry that has misled students into degrees that don't pay off,
01:45and to create safe learning environments.
01:48We're holding institutions to account when they facilitate discriminatory or hostile environments on campus.
01:55A level playing field with limitless opportunity, I think, is a vision that we all can share.
02:02Our budget reflects this vision.
02:04It cuts reflect the bureaucracy that is getting out of the way,
02:08and its continuations and increases represent smart spending that will help improve student achievement,
02:15not serve bureaucratic interests.
02:18Our goal is clear, make education better, fairer, and more accountable by ending federal overreach,
02:26and empowering families, schools, and states, who best know the needs of their students.
02:32I'm eager to partner with you to make this vision of the future a reality,
02:38and ensure that every child is part of it.
02:41Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
