S. 5046 · 119th Congress · Education
A bill to prohibit the transfer of certain offices and functions of the Department of Education to other Federal agencies, and for other purposes.
Prohibits Department of Education from transferring four specified offices to other federal agencies. AI-read
What it does
This bill prohibits the Department of Education (ED) from transferring specified offices and functions to other federal agencies.
Specifically, the bill prohibits ED from entering into or carrying out interagency agreements related to the following four offices: the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, the Office of Postsecondary Education, the Office of Indian Education, and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
This prohibition applies to the transfer of functions such as administering or operating programs, making grants, carrying out technical assistance, enforcing rights and requirements (e.g., data collection requirements), conducting administrative and oversight functions, and monitoring grantees.
Additionally, ED may not transfer a function or program of one of the four offices to another ED office and then subsequently enter into an interagency agreement related to the function or program.
The bill does not apply to agreements in effect on February 1, 2025, or renewals with substantially similar terms.
ED must, within 14 days of the bill's enactment and on a quarterly basis, provide to Congress (and publish on its website) a report and cost analysis for each interagency agreement entered into on or after February 1, 2025. ED may not use specified FY2026 or FY2027 funds for travel expenses unless ED provides this required information.
(As of July 30, 2026, ED has entered into 14 interagency agreements to transfer functions of ED to other federal agencies, including the ED offices listed in the bill.)
Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Aug 4, 2026 (Reported to Senate). CRS summarizes bills impartially; it does not take positions.
Roll call votes
No recorded roll call votes on this bill. Most bills never get one; many pass by voice vote or unanimous consent, or stay in committee.
What members said about it
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As originally released by the Committee on Education and Workforce, Democrats WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Rep. John W. Mannion (NY-22), and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) introduced bipartisan…
“The Trump Administration’s plan to illegally dismantle the Department of Education is disastrous for students, educators, people with disabilities, and the communities that support them. I will not stand on the sidelines and let this Administration dismantle this agency brick by brick. This legislation is important to…”
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Representatives John W. Mannion (NY-22), a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Ranking Member of the Committee, and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) today introduced bipartisan legislation…
“Congress created the Department of Education, and its troubling we must take this step to preserve the constitutional order and stop the executive branch from illegally dismantling the department. I’ll continue to put students’ services and rights first, and I strongly oppose all efforts to move these critical…”
Latest action
Aug 4, 2026 · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 541.