NEA criticizes Senate's approval of Trump's budget plan

Today, the U.S. Senate approved the Trump administration's budget bill, which proposes significant cuts to education, health care, and nutrition funding. The National Education Association (NEA) expressed concern over the potential impact on various groups including students, working families, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.

NEA President Becky Pringle stated: “Let’s be clear: this is a betrayal of students, educators, and working families. This isn’t just a political failure, but a moral one as well. The senators who voted for this bill are turning their backs on those who need their support the most. This bill will devastate our schools and communities—all to finance massive tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy."

Pringle further criticized the bill for removing essential school funding and making higher education less accessible. She added: “This bill strips essential funding from our schools, further restricts access to higher education, burdens those already struggling, and threatens to leave children sick, students hungry, and futures shattered—all to finance tax breaks for billionaires."

She also highlighted concerns about public funds being redirected towards private school vouchers: "When they redirect public dollars to fund private school vouchers, they weaken public education and limit opportunities for students." Pringle warned that access to affordable quality higher education might become more challenging for many students.

The NEA president emphasized that the legislation undermines support systems necessary for survival among working families and aspiring educators. She vowed continued resistance against politicians supporting these changes: “Educators see the harm this bill will cause—and we will not be silent. We will hold accountable any politician who abandons our students and communities. We will organize; we will fight back; and we will not stop until every student in every ZIP code has access to the opportunities they deserve.”

The National Education Association represents over 3 million professionals across various educational sectors in the United States.