Politics & Government
Betsy DeVos Education Secretary Confirmation Hearing: Democrats React
The confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos, the Michigan school choice advocate Donald Trump picked as Education secretary, was Tuesday.
(Updated) WASHINGTON, DC — Senators grilled Betsy DeVos, the western Michigan school-choice advocate President-elect Donald Trump has picked to lead the U.S. Department of Education, as confirmation hearings resumed Tuesday. DeVos is a billionaire political operative who has used her family’s vast Amway fortune to influence education in Michigan. The hearing began at 5 p.m. Eastern Time Tuesday.
Those opposing DeVos’ expected confirmation worry she will undermine public education programs and spread limited funding to school-choice voucher programs. Trump has called her a reformer who will take on special interests that stifle debate.
DeVos’ hearing was pushed back about a week under pressure from Democrats, who said she hadn’t completed ethics disclosures on how she will handle potential conflicts of interest.
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U.S. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Committee of Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, said last week she was “hopeful” the extra time would allow DeVos to complete her ethics paperwork before the hearing, as all of President Barack Obama’s nominees did eight years ago under strong demands by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
Read More on Patch
- Education Secretary Pick Betsy DeVos’ Confirmation Hearing Delayed
- School Choice Advocate Betsy DeVos Trump’s U.S. Education Secretary Pick
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DeVos is expected to be questioned, among other things, about her and her family’s political contributions over the years, particularly those influencing education policy; her thoughts on whether federal education money earmarked for poor and disadvantaged children should be diverted to private education; school choice and voucher programs; and how she will handle myriad higher education issues, including affordability and school debt, National Public Radio reported.
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Photo by Keith A. Almli via Wikimedia Commons
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