Cassidy opposes – Sen. Bill Cassidy says he will oppose moving key special education functions to the Health and Human Services Department, where Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is involved. A Senate vote is being discussed for July, with Sen. Tim Kaine pressing for a measure to block HH
When the Senate education committee turns to a July vote, the decision won’t just be about bureaucracy. It will decide whether students who rely on federal special education programs see them run through the agency Congress has long supervised—or whether they get reshaped under a different cabinet department. and ultimately different priorities.
The issue is already drawing sharp alarm from disability rights groups. who argue that transferring core functions of federal special education programs to the Health and Human Services Department could disrupt services for students with disabilities. The change comes in the orbit of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose oversight role in HHS has become a flashpoint in Washington.
Cassidy. the Republican chairman of the Senate’s education committee. said at a June 17 meeting that he agreed with Democrats that special education programs should not be moved to HHS. He framed his stance as direct opposition to the shift—one he has hardened into a broader fight against President Donald Trump’s yearlong push to dismantle the Education Department.
The timetable remains murky. Federal officials have not provided a clear timeline for the transfer, including even in internal communications to employees. Still, they have promised that students’ rights will continue to be protected. A summary of a new interagency partnership states it “will not impact students, parents or families.”.
Kennedy disputed the fear that the move would cause harm. In a statement. he said the change will “deliver more effective support for individuals with disabilities and their families.” He added: “Together. we will improve education and employment outcomes. uphold the rights of individuals with disabilities. and help every child reach their full potential.”.
Disability advocates, however, point to a deeper worry than staffing. Critics cite what they describe as RFK Jr.’s controversial past statements about autism in particular, including remarks made during a press conference last year that said the condition “destroys families.”
The committee vote effort has focused on a specific mechanism: whether HHS can administer special education-related programs at all. Cassidy said he opposes the seismic change and, if the special education division must move elsewhere, he would prefer it go to the Labor Department.
Cassidy also publicly promised Sen. Tim Kaine. D-Virginia. a committee vote next month on a measure designed to prevent HHS from administering programs in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Kaine said he is confident that members on both sides of the aisle could support his measure. describing the Education Department’s special education office as the “core” of the agency lawmakers care most about.
Kaine criticized what he called President Trump’s approach—campaigning to functionally get rid of the department’s special education office without official congressional approval. He put the point sharply. saying: “He’s treated the Department of Education as if it’s a going-out-of-business sale of a discount furniture outlet.”.
The path to the July vote could hinge on whether Kaine’s measure gains enough momentum. With several moderate Republicans on the same panel—including Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Maine’s Susan Collins—Kaine’s effort has a plausible opening to build a cross-party coalition.
The tension in the committee room is clear: Kennedy and administration allies are arguing the transfer won’t touch student rights. while Cassidy and Democrats are insisting special education’s federal “core” functions belong under the Education Department and not under HHS. For families watching from the outside, the question isn’t abstract. It’s whether the legal and administrative structure that has governed services for years will stay put—or be re-routed during an unsettled transition that officials admit lacks a clear timeline.
As lawmakers line up for the coming weeks, Cassidy’s opposition and Kaine’s measure set up a direct confrontation on Capitol Hill—one that could determine how quickly special education functions move, and how much time students and parents get to adapt before any change takes hold.
Senate education committee Bill Cassidy special education Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Tim Kaine Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services disability rights Education Department