S2913-119

What This Bill Does

This bill prevents the federal government from using taxpayer money to eliminate, consolidate, or reorganize offices within the Department of Education that serve students and individuals with disabilities. It specifically protects two offices: the Office of Special Education Programs (which oversees special education for children) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (which helps people with disabilities get jobs). The bill is a defensive measure responding to concerns that the executive branch might try to restructure or eliminate these offices without Congressional approval.

Who Benefits and How

Students with disabilities and their families benefit because the bill preserves the dedicated offices that administer special education programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Individuals with disabilities receiving vocational rehabilitation services also benefit from continued support from a specialized federal office. The roughly 7 million students receiving special education services nationwide benefit from organizational stability and continuity. Federal employees working in these disability-focused offices gain job security and protection from reorganization efforts. Disability advocacy groups benefit from maintaining dedicated federal offices they can work with on policy implementation.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Executive branch officials, particularly the Secretary of Education and White House staff, face restrictions on their ability to reorganize the Department of Education. This reduces administrative flexibility and prevents cost-saving consolidations they might otherwise pursue. Office of Management and Budget planners lose the option to streamline government operations by merging these offices with other education programs. If reorganization would have achieved efficiencies, taxpayers may bear the cost of maintaining separate administrative structures. However, the bill's supporters argue this "burden" is actually a safeguard ensuring that disability services remain a distinct priority rather than being diluted within broader education programs.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits spending any federal appropriated funds to eliminate, consolidate, or restructure Department of Education offices that administer programs for individuals with disabilities, including under IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Bars using funds to terminate, reassign, or change the job duties of staff in these offices in ways that would prevent the offices from meeting their legal obligations under federal disability laws
• Prevents the Department of Education from contracting out or delegating these disability programs to organizations outside the federal Department of Education
• Reaffirms that Congress previously established these offices in statute (Office of Special Education Programs under Section 603 of IDEA, and Rehabilitation Services Administration under Section 3 of the Rehabilitation Act) and that the executive branch cannot unilaterally alter this framework
• Takes effect immediately upon passage and applies to all future appropriations bills