DeVos: Deep Cuts to Special Olympics Are Warranted – Do You Agree?

What’s the story?

• Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is defending budget cuts to the Special Olympics, telling a House subcommittee on Tuesday that the administration “had to make some difficult decisions.”
• The White House’s 2020 budget calls for eliminating all federal funding - $17.6 million - to the Special Olympics, which is designed to help children and adults with disabilities.

"The earmark for Special Olympics Education programs would be eliminated," the budget proposal reads.

What are both sides saying?

DeVos said she thinks the “Special Olympics is an awesome organization, one that is well supported by the philanthropic sector as well.”

In 2017, the organization received around 10 percent of its funding from federal grants with donations making up the rest of its $148.7 million total.

In the committee hearing, Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) asked DeVos: "Do you know how many kids are going to be affected by that cut?"

"I don't know the number of kids," she said.

Pocan replied: "It's 272,000 kids."

The administration had recommended eliminating funding for the Special Olympics in its previous two budgets, which Congress failed to do.

What do you think?

Do you support cutting funding to the Special Olympics and letting it rely on donations? Do you agree with DeVos that this budget is about putting “the needs of students, parents, teachers & local leaders first”? Take action and tell your reps, then share your thoughts below.

—Josh Herman

(Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore / Creative Commons)