I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1812
To provide for the elimination of the Department of Education, and for
other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 5, 1997
Mr. HEFLEY (for himself, Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina, Mr. CRANE, Mr.
STENHOLM, Mr. BARTLETT
of Maryland, Mr. HERGER, and Mr.
HOSTETTLER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Government Reform and Oversight, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To provide for the elimination of the Department of
Education, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Department of Edu-
cation Elimination Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
(a) ELIMINATION.—The Department of Education is
hereby eliminated.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (a) shall take ef-
fect on January 1, 2000.
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, prior to January 1, 2000, the Secretary of
Education (hereafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Sec-
retary’’) shall take such actions as may be necessary to—
(1) consolidate into a block grant program
those programs that are administered by the De-
partment of Education and are appropriate for
States to administer; and
(2) otherwise provide for the complete elimi-
nation of the Department of Education pursuant to
section 2.
(b) SUBMISSIONS TO CONGRESS.—
(1) STRATEGIC PLAN.—Not later than 180 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Congress a plan to carry
out subsection (a), which shall include any rec-
ommendations for—
(A) legislation necessary to carry out sub-
section (a); and
(B) transfers of functions and activities,
including all existing obligations to other exist-
ing or successor Federal or State agencies.
(2) ABOLISHMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF EDU-
CATION.—Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to
the Congress a report which shall include—
(A) recommendations and a strategic plan
for the complete transfer of those programs and
agencies considered appropriate for continued
Federal administration to other existing depart-
ments, and the abolishment of those programs
and agencies that are redundant, obsolete, or
otherwise unnecessary; and
(B) a description of the projected cost sav-
ings to the Federal Government that would be
achieved through the implementation of such
recommendation and strategic plan.
SEC. 4. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE RECOMMENDA-
TIONS.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Director of the Congressional Budget Of-
fice shall submit to the Committee on Economic and Edu-
cational Opportunities of the House of Representatives a
list of recommendations for minimizing the cost of Federal
education programs through the elimination of the De-
partment of Education.
SEC. 5. GAO REPORT.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States
shall submit to the Committee on Economic and Edu-
cational Opportunities of the House of Representatives a
report which shall include recommendations for the most
efficient means of achieving—
(1) the complete elimination of the Department
of Education; and
(2) the transfer of appropriate functions of the
Department of Education to other existing or suc-
cessor Federal or State agencies.
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