Sponsor
Mark Harris
Representative · R-NC
Representative · R-NC
Official title: To ensure the Department of Labor will manage certain postsecondary education programs, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 9, 2026 by Mark Harris · Last progress July 9, 2026
The bill aims to consolidate workforce and education programs under Labor to improve coordination and preserve continuity, but it risks disrupting students and institutions, imposing administrative costs, diluting Education's specialized expertise (especially for disability accommodations), and creating legal, accountability, and fiscal transparency challenges.
Federal agencies, beneficiaries, contractors, and courts can continue receiving services, payments, and legal process without interruption because contracts, orders, unexpended funds, and pending appeals move with the transferred functions to Labor.
Students and educators in K–12 and minority-serving higher education institutions may see better alignment between education programs and workforce training as related programs are consolidated under Labor.
Department of Education employees whose duties transfer will generally be reassigned to Labor and existing DoE assets and contracts can be used during transition, preserving jobs and lowering immediate hiring and procurement costs.
Students, teachers, and schools may face disruption and delays as numerous K–12 and higher-education programs move from Education to Labor, including possible shifts away from traditional academic priorities.
State and local education agencies, colleges, and contractors will likely incur administrative and compliance costs updating contracts, references, reporting systems, and practices to align with Labor's rules and contacts.
Transferring authorities creates legal uncertainty and risks of litigation or delays, and Labor's different expertise and priorities could lead to less effective administration of education-focused programs.
Based on analysis of 11 sections of legislative text.
Transfers administration of multiple HEA grant and improvement programs from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor and requires OMB FTE neutrality.
Transfers administration and authority for a set of higher education grant and improvement programs from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration), moves related personnel, assets, contracts, records, and funds, and requires OMB to certify there is no net increase in federal full-time employees. The law sets a six-month default effective date after enactment (with some transfers allowed immediately) and preserves existing orders, proceedings, and legal effects tied to the transferred functions while permitting transitional use of Education Department resources to implement the change. The measure gives the Labor Secretary the legal authorities previously held by the Education Secretary for the transferred programs, allows delegation inside Labor, and requires OMB to finalize incidental dispositions needed to effectuate the transfers and to certify compliance with the FTE requirement to relevant congressional committees.