Peter Welch: “I was absent from the Senate on March 3, 2025. Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 99 on the nomination of Linda…”

“I was absent from the Senate on March 3, 2025. Had I been present for rollcall vote No. 99 on the nomination of Linda McMahon, of Connecticut, to be Secretary of Education, I would have voted no. As Secretary, Mrs. McMahon will be a rubberstamp on President Trump's agenda to dismantle the Department of Education. President Trump has even said that he hopes that Mrs. McMahon ``puts herself out of a job.'' The Department of Education is responsible for distributing funds to K-12 schools and administering Pell grants, the Federal Student Loan Program, and programs that help support students with disabilities. Already, the Trump administration has cut funding contracts within the Department that support data collection, learning tools, and programs to increase test scores. Mrs. McMahon does not have the experience required to support the more than 62 million students in their elementary to postsecondary education across the country. Mrs. McMahon has no experience teaching or working in a school. Her experience does not lend her the tools the Secretary of Education needs to address the complex needs of our Nation's students, who are struggling with rising mental health issues. I do not have confidence that, under Mrs. McMahon's leadership, the Department of Education will continue to perform its core duties and support students across the country, in all stages of their education. ____________________”