President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order to abolish the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). Below is an overview of recent votes of involving the DOE cast by each US Senator and Representative in Florida’s Congressional Delegation.
Senator Rick Scott (R-FL)
Sen. Rick Scott has been an outspoken proponent of eliminating the Department of Education. In late 2024, he told the press, “It should be disbanded. We don’t need a federal Department of Education”
Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL)
Ashley Moody became Florida’s junior U.S. Senator in early 2025 (after serving as state Attorney General), and she has generally echoed her party’s push to rein in federal agencies. While she has not made any explicit public call to abolish the Department of Education, she has consistently opposed what she sees as federal overreach in education. For example, as Attorney General, she challenged Biden administration education policies in court, signaling support for shifting power from Washington to states. (Moody’s federal legislative record is still new; no specific bill or statement from her yet targets the Department’s existence.)
Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL-2)
Neal Dunn has supported efforts to dismantle the Department of Education. In the 118th Congress, he voted in favor of proposals to terminate the department.
Though Dunn has not issued high-profile quotes on the topic, his legislative actions – backing bills to shut down the agency – make clear that he favors returning education authority to states and localities.
Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL-3)
Kat Cammack has been vocal in backing the push to eliminate the federal education department. She co-sponsored congressional legislation to do away with the Department and applauded President Trump’s early 2025 executive order aimed at that goal. In a March 2025 Fox Business interview, Cammack discussed the order to “eliminate the Department of Education”, questioning “why would we continue to fund” an inefficient federal program
Her comments and co-sponsorships underscore her view that education decisions belong at the state/local level rather than with Washington.
Rep. Aaron Bean (R-FL-4)
Aaron Bean has taken concrete steps to shrink the Department of Education. In August 2023, as a freshman congressman and subcommittee chair, Bean introduced a bill to freeze hiring at the Department, calling it “just the first step to decrease the role of the federal government and return education policy to where it belongs — the state and local level”
Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL-5)
John Rutherford has not been especially outspoken on education policy in the press, but he did sign on to recent GOP legislation to abolish the Department of Education. In 2025, Rutherford became a co-sponsor of the House bill to eliminate the department, aligning himself with the Republican position that education should be handled by states rather than by a “federal bureaucracy.” While he hasn’t issued notable quotes on the subject, his support of that bill signals his stance in favor of dismantling the agency.
Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL-7)
Cory Mills has ardently supported dismantling the Department of Education.
Mills publicly remarked on a bill from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) to abolish the DOE and said, “Let’s get back to state & individual rights as intended under our 10th Amendment, empowering parental rights, and reduce the size and overreach of the federal government”
This statement – shared when he joined the abolish-DOE bill – makes clear Mills’ view that closing the Department will return rightful control of education to states, parents, and local entities.
Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-FL-8)
Mike Haridopolos, newly elected to Congress in 2024, has not yet made prominent public statements on the issue; his early legislative action indicates support for eliminating the agency and shifting its functions to states or other bodies. (Haridopolos previously served in Florida’s state legislature, where he similarly championed limited federal interference in state matters.)
Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL-9)
Darren Soto has not advocated abolishing the Department of Education, and is one of the state’s leading critics of Trump’s executive order.
On Facebook, Soto posted: “Education is the strongest investment we can make in our future. This foolish move will hurt millions of students. Title I schools, disabled and ESL kids, and tutoring for kids falling behind will suffer most. Our school lunch program will struggle too.
We will fight this in Congress & in court—and we will win!”
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10)
Maxwell Frost has been a vocal opponent of efforts to shut down the Department of Education. When President Trump issued an executive order in March 2025 to begin dismantling the department, Rep. Frost slammed the move as “reckless, cruel, and a direct attack on millions of children”
He warned that abolishing the DOE would slash billions in school funding – cutting programs like Head Start, Title I aid for low-income schools, Pell Grants, and support for students with disabilities
Frost vowed to fight the administration’s actions “through litigation, legislation, and funding” to prevent undermining of public education
Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL-11)
Daniel Webster, a senior Republican, supports reducing the federal role in education and cheered President Trump’s push to shutter the DOE. In March 2025, Webster praised Trump for “fighting to take education out of Washington bureaucrats’ hands and give it back to parents,” saying the plan would “cut waste, expand school choice, and put the education of America’s children first”
Webster’s stance is that returning control to states and families – by dismantling federal education bureaucracy – will benefit students and align with constitutional principles.
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12)
Gus Bilirakis has quietly supported his party’s efforts to abolish the Education Department. While not known for making public statements on this issue, Bilirakis has emphasized local control in education policy, and his vote history aligns with downsizing federal agencies in favor of state governance.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13)
Anna Paulina Luna has actively aligned with proposals to dismantle the Department of Education. In 2023, her first year in office, Luna signed on as a co-sponsor of Rep. Massie’s one-sentence bill to abolish the DOE by the end of that year
She has continued to support similar measures in 2024–2025. Although Rep. Luna hasn’t been widely quoted on this specific issue in the past two years, her legislative record – co-sponsoring the abolish-DOE bill alongside other Florida Republicans – clearly indicates she favors eliminating the federal Department of Education and leaving education governance to state and local authorities
Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL-14)
Kathy Castor responded to Trump’s executive order by posting to social media: “Trump wants to rip away the critical resources the Department of Education provides to inflate his billionaire buddies wallets, including Elon Musk.
Why are they trying to make our children’s lives worse?”
Castor has emphasized the importance of federal investments in schools and programs in her Tampa-area district.
Rep. Laurel Lee (R-FL-15)
Laurel Lee has not been in the headlines for statements on this issue. Correction: An earlier version of this article had Rep. Lee listed as a co-sponsor of H.R. 899, but her office notified us that she was not a co-sponsor. She has spoken of limiting the DOE’s powers in the past but didn’t call for its elimination.
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16)
Vern Buchanan, one of Florida’s senior House Republicans, also threw his support behind legislation to dismantle the Department of Education. In the current Congress, Buchanan is listed as a co-sponsor of the bill to terminate the department
He has not made recent public speeches about the idea, but his backing of the bill aligns with the GOP argument that the DOE has failed to improve outcomes and that education would be better managed by states. Buchanan’s position is evidenced by his quiet co-sponsorship rather than outspoken commentary.
Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL-17)
Greg Steube has been explicit in calling for the abolition of the Department of Education. In response to President Trump’s March 2025 executive order, Steube exclaimed that it was “a great first step” and urged that “Congress must follow [the President’s] lead by abolishing the Department of Education once and for all.”
Steube, a staunch conservative, also co-sponsored H.R. 899 and similar bills. His public remarks underscore his belief that the DOE is unconstitutional or unnecessary – he noted you “don’t see anywhere listed in the Constitution” for a federal education department and that dismantling it would be “great for the country”
Rep. Scott Franklin (R-FL-18)
Congressman Scott Franklin has not made prominent public statements about this issue in the past two years. However, by supporting that legislation, Franklin aligns with the view that education should be a local/state matter and that the Department’s functions can be pared back or reassigned rather than managed from Washington.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL-19)
Byron Donalds has been a strong advocate for shutting down the Department of Education. He co-sponsored bills in 2023 to abolish the department
After President Trump’s 2025 executive action, he publicly cheered the move. Donalds tweeted that the Department of Education “has FAILED”, accusing it of prioritizing bureaucracy over kids’ success, and declared, “It’s time to return education to the states.” He said Florida will ensure its students excel, once freed from federal dictates.”
Donalds’ recent statements and legislative efforts leave no doubt that he wants the DOE dismantled and its authority devolved to state governments.
Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20)
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick favors federal support for education. Cherfilus-McCormick has instead focused on issues like equity in education and federal resources for her South Florida district. In line with Democratic colleagues, she would presumably oppose any attempt to defund or dismantle the department (even though she hasn’t been quoted on the Trump administration’s recent moves).
Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL-21)
Brian Mast has aligned with GOP efforts to abolish the DOE, albeit without fanfare.
Mast’s official communications in 2023–2024 centered more on veterans and environmental issues, but his voting record reflects support for shrinking federal involvement in education.
Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL-22)
Lois Frankel has consistently supported federal education programs and funding, and she has criticized Trump-era education cuts. Her general position has been that the Department’s work (from Pell Grants to civil rights enforcement) is vital, so one can infer she opposes recent GOP efforts, even if she hasn’t spoken on them at length publicly.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23)
Jared Moskowitz has not made headlines regarding the abolition of the Education Department. He is a freshman Democrat who has largely focused on issues such as disaster relief and antisemitism in his early tenure. Moskowitz tends to support federal funding for schools. He was part of a group of lawmakers protesting at DOE headquarters when rumors swirled about its closure.
While he hasn’t issued a formal press release on the subject, one can conclude Moskowitz stands against dismantling the department and would vote to preserve its essential programs.
Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24)
Frederica Wilson, a senior Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee, has been an ardent defender of the DOE. In March 2025, after President Trump ordered the DOE’s dismantling, Wilson released a blistering statement calling the move “the heart and fabric” of America-changing action
A former educator herself, she said, “Closing the doors to the Department of Education is closing the doors to opportunities for our youth”
Wilson warned that gutting the department would “break down our public education system” and especially harm children of color, students with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups
She urged Congressional Republicans to reverse course and vowed to fight any attempt to abolish the DOE.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz has been a vocal opponent of abolishing the DOE, vehemently criticizing President Trump’s plan. In a South Florida TV interview, she blasted the executive order as “The worst possible decision for our children”, warning it would put critical federal school funding in jeopardy.
Wasserman Schultz argued the attempt to close the department is not only harmful but “unlawful,” vowing to “fight [Trump] tooth and nail” and predicting the move “will be fought in the courts, and he’ll lose”
Her stance is that dismantling the DOE would hurt students – she says Trump is effectively “going to hurt children” – and she has positioned herself as a leading voice against the Department’s elimination
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL-26)
Mario Diaz-Balart has quietly supported the initiative to eliminate the DOE In the 119th Congress, Diaz-Balart signed on as a co-sponsor of legislation to abolish the DOE.
He hasn’t issued prominent public statements on the matter in the past two years. Traditionally a proponent of local control (and an ally of Florida’s state leadership on education issues), Diaz-Balart’s backing of the abolish-DOE bill suggests he agrees that the federal department is unnecessary. He is likely to vote in favor of any measure that would dismantle it, even if he leaves the floor arguments to others.
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27)
Maria Elvira Salazar has also lent her support to efforts to dismantle the DOE, though without public fanfare. Salazar has not made notable speeches or media comments about this specific issue.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL-28)
Carlos Gimenez has not been quoted in national media specifically about this, he has generally advocated for decentralizing control and giving more authority to local school boards. By supporting legislation to dismantle the DOE, Gimenez aligns with that philosophy, arguing implicitly that Florida (and other states) can manage education without Washington’s intervention.
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