Trump education sec drops in on House Dems press conference with non-partisan message: 'About the children'

"I just want to express my gratitude to all of these folks who came today so that we get to have an open discussion about what I believe is one of the most important things that we can have a discussion on on our action in our country, and that is the education of our young people," McMahon said on Wednesday. "As Representative Takano said as we were ending the meeting, which I thought was incredibly appropriate, and that is that this is not a partisan issue. This is about the children of America, and it's the next generation to generation after that. And if we want to have our leaders, if we want to have that next, group of engineers and doctors and lawyers and plumbers, electricians and HVAC operators, then we need to focus on how they can best have their education."

"And I believe, and I know the president does believe this as well, the best education is that that is closest to the child, where teachers and parents, local superintendents - working together and local school boards to develop the curriculum for those students - is the best way that it can happen," she said. "Funding from the United States government will continue through the programs, that is, that have already been established, and I will look forward to continuing to work with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. And I welcome the fact that these folks came today and expressed their concerns and shared in an open, collegial format their concerns and how we can lead now to work more together. That's the way it ought to operate. And I'm very happy to have had them here."

As McMahon concluded her remarks and attempted to turn the event back over to Democrats, Takano interjected with a question for the secretary. 

"When are you going to shut down this building?" he asked her in front of news cameras.

"Well, we've had our discussions already, so thank you all," McMahon said, leaving the podium and walking back into the building.

"As you see, she's not answering the question when she's going to shut down the Department of Education," Takano told reporters. "Now she doesn't have a plan. And while she doesn't have a plan, they're continuing to look at firing people, reduction and reverse a reduction in force." 

Takano told reporters that during their meeting McMahon expressed "ambiguity" regarding when she would carry out Trump's campaign promise of shuttering the Department of Education. He said she vowed to consult appropriate statute. 

Congress established the Department of Education in 1979 and will most likely need to approve its dismantling. Republicans have floated legislation to achieve that goal.

"I have to say that the Secretary indicated more than once, that before she moved any functions of the department to other departments and the other place that, she was looking carefully at what the statute allows her to do," Takano said on Wednesday. "That was refreshing information that the secretary relayed to all of us, and we certainly hope she sticks to what she told us today."  

"I think part of the story of today is, you know, [the] president's campaign promise to shut this department down, is a lot of fluff. It's. You can't, it's illegal. He can't do it by law," he added.