HouseH.R. 9610119th Congress
Less Bureaucracy, Better K–12 Education Act
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9610 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9610
To ensure the Secretary of Labor will manage elementary and secondary
education programs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 9, 2026
Mr. Harris of North Carolina introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition
to the Committees on Financial Services, Natural Resources, and
Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To ensure the Secretary of Labor will manage elementary and secondary
education programs, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Less Bureaucracy, Better K-12
Education Act''.
SEC. 2. TRANSFER OF DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FUNCTIONS RELATING TO THE
OFFICE OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION.
There are transferred to the Secretary of Labor all the functions
which the Secretary of Education exercised before the effective date of
this Act (including all related functions of any officer or employee of
the Department of Education) with respect to each of the following:
(1) The Improving Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged
formula grant program authorized under title I of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301
et seq.).
(2) Functions authorized under part A of title I of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311
et seq.).
(3) The Improving Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged
State Assessment Grants program authorized under part B of
title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 6361 et seq.), including the Competitive Grants for
State Assessments program authorized under section 1203(b)(1)
of such Act (20 U.S.C. 6363(b)(1)).
(4) The Education of Migratory Children program authorized
under part C of title I of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6391 et seq.).
(5) Prevention and Intervention Programs for Children and
Youth Who are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk authorized
under part D of title I of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6421 et seq.).
(6) The Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants
program authorized under part A of title II of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6611 et seq.).
(7) The Teacher and School Leader Incentive program
authorized under subpart 1 of part B of title II of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6631
et seq.).
(8) The Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grants
program authorized under section 2222 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6642).
(9) The Innovative Approaches to Literacy grant program
authorized under section 2226 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6646).
(10) The American History and Civics Education program
authorized under subpart 3 of part B of title II of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6661
et seq.).
(11) The Supporting Effective Educator Development program
authorized under section 2242 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6672).
(12) The English Language Acquisition State Grants program
authorized under part A of title III of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6811 et seq.),
including the National Professional Development program
authorized under section 3131 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 6861),
except for section 3112 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 6822).
(13) The Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE)
program authorized under part A of title IV of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.).
(14) The 21st Century Community Learning Centers program
authorized under part B of title IV of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7171 et seq.).
(15) The Expanding Opportunities through Quality Charter
Schools program authorized under part C of title IV of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7221
et seq.).
(16) The Magnet Schools Assistance program authorized under
part D of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7231 et seq.).
(17) The Assistance for Arts Education program authorized
under section 4642 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7292).
(18) The Small, Rural School Achievement program authorized
under subpart 1 of part B of title V of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7345 et seq.).
(19) The Rural and Low-Income School program authorized
under subpart 2 of part B of title V of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7351 et seq.).
(20) The Impact Aid program under title VII of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7701
et seq.).
(21) The Teacher Quality Partnership Grant program
authorized under part A of title II of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1022 et seq.).
(22) Functions authorized under the District of Columbia
Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (division C of
Public Law 112-10).
(23) The Education for Homeless Children and Youths program
authorized under subtitle B of title VII of the McKinney-Vento
Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.).
(24) Authority regarding consolidated grants to the Insular
Areas authorized under section 501 of the Act entitled ``An Act
to authorize certain appropriations for the territories of the
United States, to amend certain Acts relating thereto, and for
other purposes'' (Public Law 95-134; 48 U.S.C. 1469a).
(25) Projects overseen by the Office of Elementary and
Secondary Education of the Department of Education that the
Secretary of Education determines are congressionally funded
community projects.
SEC. 3. EXERCISE OF AUTHORITIES.
Except as otherwise provided by law, the Secretary of Labor may,
for purposes of performing a function transferred under this Act,
exercise all authorities under any other provision of law that were
available with respect to the performance of that function to the
Secretary of Education immediately before the effective date of the
transfer of the function under this Act.
SEC. 4. TRANSFER AND ALLOCATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS AND PERSONNEL.
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the personnel employed in
connection with, and the assets, liabilities, contracts, property,
records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, authorizations,
allocations, and other funds employed, used, held, arising from,
available to, or to be made available in connection with the functions
transferred under this Act, subject to section 1531 of title 31, United
States Code, shall be transferred to the Secretary of Labor. Unexpended
funds transferred pursuant to this section shall be used only for the
purposes for which the funds were originally authorized and
appropriated.
SEC. 5. AUTHORITY OF DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
WITH RESPECT TO FUNCTIONS TRANSFERRED.
(a) Personnel Determinations.--The Director of the Office of
Management and Budget shall ensure that this Act does not result in a
net increase in full-time equivalent employees at the Federal agencies
impacted by this Act, based on the number of such employees at such
agencies on the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) Function Determinations.--If necessary, the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget shall make any determination of the
functions that are transferred under this Act.
(c) Incidental Transfers.--The Director of the Office of Management
and Budget, at such time or times as the Director shall provide, may
make such determinations as may be necessary with regard to the
functions transferred by this Act, and to make such additional
incidental dispositions of personnel, assets, liabilities, grants,
contracts, property, records, and unexpended balances of
appropriations, authorizations, allocations, and other funds held,
used, arising from, available to, or to be made available in connection
with such functions, as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of
this Act. The Director shall provide for the termination of the affairs
of all entities terminated by this Act and for such further measures
and dispositions as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this
Act.
(d) Certification of Compliance.--On the effective date of this
Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall certify
compliance with this Act, including the requirement under subsection
(a), to the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate.
SEC. 6. DELEGATION AND ASSIGNMENT.
Except as otherwise expressly prohibited by law or otherwise
provided in this Act, the Secretary of Labor may delegate any of the
functions so transferred to such officers and employees of the
Department of Labor as the Secretary may designate, and may authorize
successive redelegations of such functions as may be necessary or
appropriate. No delegation of functions under this section or under any
other provision of this Act shall relieve the Secretary of Labor of
responsibility for the administration of the function.
SEC. 7. REFERENCES.
With regard to functions transferred under section 2, a reference
in any other Federal law, Executive order, rule, regulation, or
delegation of authority, or any document of or relating to--
(1) the Secretary of Education shall be deemed to refer to
the Secretary of Labor;
(2) the Department of Education shall be deemed to refer to
the Department of Labor;
(3) the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education of the
Department of Education shall be deemed to refer to the
Education Employment and Training Administration of the
Department of Labor; and
(4) the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary
Education shall be deemed to refer to the Assistant Secretary
of Labor for Employment and Training.
SEC. 8. SAVINGS PROVISIONS.
(a) Legal Documents.--All orders, determinations, rules,
regulations, permits, grants, loans, contracts, agreements,
certificates, licenses, and privileges--
(1) that have been issued, made, granted, or allowed to
become effective by the President, any Federal agency or
official thereof, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, in
the performance of any function that is transferred by this
Act; and
(2) that are in effect on the effective date of such
transfer (or become effective after such date pursuant to their
terms as in effect on such effective date),
shall continue in effect according to their terms until modified,
terminated, superseded, set aside, or revoked in accordance with law by
the President, the Secretary of Labor, any other authorized official, a
court of competent jurisdiction, or operation of law.
(b) Proceedings.--This Act shall not affect any proceedings or any
application for any benefits, service, license, permit, certificate, or
financial assistance pending on the effective date of this Act before
the Department of Education (with respect to functions transferred by
this Act). Such proceedings and applications shall continue, orders
shall be issued in such proceedings, appeals shall be taken therefrom,
and payments shall be made pursuant to such orders, as if this Act had
not been enacted, and orders issued in any such proceeding shall
continue in effect until modified, terminated, superseded, or revoked
by a duly authorized official, by a court of competent jurisdiction, or
by operation of law. Nothing in this subsection shall be considered to
prohibit the discontinuance or modification of any such proceeding
under the same terms and conditions and to the same extent that such
proceeding could have been discontinued or modified if this Act had not
been enacted.
(c) Suits.--Except as provided in subsection (e)--
(1) this Act shall not affect suits commenced before the
effective date of this Act; and
(2) in all such suits, proceeding shall be had, appeals
taken, and judgments rendered in the same manner and with the
same effect as if this Act had not been enacted.
(d) Nonabatement of Actions.--No suit, action, or other proceeding
commenced by or against the Department of Education (with respect to
the functions transferred by this Act), or by or against any individual
in the official capacity of such individual as an officer or employee
of the Department of Education (with regard to functions transferred by
this Act), shall abate by reason of the enactment of this Act.
(e) Continuance of Suits.--If, before the date on which a transfer
of a function under this Act takes effect, the Secretary of Education
or any officer or employee of the Department of Education in the
official capacity as such an officer or employee is party to a suit
relating to the function, then such suit shall be continued and the
Secretary of Labor, or other appropriate official of the Department of
Labor, shall be substituted or added as a party.
(f) Administrative Procedure and Judicial Review.--Except as
otherwise provided by this Act, any statutory requirements relating to
notice, hearings, action upon the record, or administrative or judicial
review that apply to any function transferred by this Act shall apply
to the exercise of such function by the Secretary of Labor, and other
officers of the Department of Labor, to which such function is
transferred by this Act.
SEC. 9. TRANSITION.
Beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Labor is authorized to use, for such period of time as may reasonably
be needed to facilitate the orderly implementation of this Act--
(1) the services of officers, employees, and other
personnel of the Department of Education with regard to
functions transferred under this Act;
(2) assets of the Department of Education with regard to
such functions; and
(3) funds appropriated to such functions.
SEC. 10. DEFINITION OF FUNCTION.
For purposes of this Act, the term ``function'' includes any duty,
obligation, power, authority, responsibility, right, privilege,
activity, or program.
SEC. 11. EFFECTIVE DATE.
(a) In General.--Except as provided in section 9, this Act shall
take effect 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) Early Implementation.--Notwithstanding subsection (a),
transfers of functions under section 2 or any other provision of this
Act (other than section 9) may be carried out beginning on the date of
enactment of this Act but not later than the effective date of this
Act.
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