Some Republicans in the Alabama congressional delegation celebrated President Donald Trump's executive order on Thursday, which began the process of shutting down the federal Department of Education.

The executive order signed on Thursday by Trump directs the Secretary of Education to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the states while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) said, "The federal government doesn't belong in the classroom, plain and simple."

"Promises made, promises kept," Tuberville said.

U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) said “Educational decisions should be made at the most local level possible—starting with parents. @POTUS and @Linda_McMahon are putting students and families first. This is the way.” 

“Educational freedom opens the door to the American Dream nationwide. Let’s make America the envy of the world again when it comes to education,” Britt said.

U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Monrovia) said, "I've long supported abolishing the Department of Education to prioritize students over bureaucracy."

"President Trump took the first step today with his Executive Order to return decision-making power to the states and parents. I will work with him to make sure this gets done for our parents and kids," Strong added.

U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) said, "President Trump continues to deliver on the promises he made to the American people."

"This is a massive step toward making the United States the standard in education on the world stage once again!" Moore added.

U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) said in a statement on Thursday opposing the order, "It wasn't enough for this administration to go after our seniors, our health care, and our veterans. Now, Trump and Musk want to steal from America's most vulnerable children to fund their tax cuts for the wealthy."

"Let's be clear. The Department of Education DOES NOT control what our students learn. It DOES provide resources and support to help poor and disabled students get the education they deserve, and it serves as a watchdog to protect our students from discrimination in schools," Sewell said. "One-third of Alabama's public schools rely on Title I funding from the Department of Education. Without it, teachers will be laid off, class sizes will grow, and students will see fewer opportunities to get ahead. I am a proud daughter of two public school educators. I have seen what's possible when students are given the resources and opportunities to reach their God-given potential. Trump's illegal executive order will only widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots. House Democrats will be legislating, litigating, and mobilizing to stop it."

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said the transition towards closing the department would be "lawful and orderly."

"Today's Executive Order is a history-making action by President Trump to free future generations of American students and forge opportunities for their success. We are sending education back to the states where it so rightly belongs," McMahon said. "Education is fundamentally a state responsibility. Instead of filtering resources through layers of federal red tape, we will empower states to take charge and advocate for and implement what is best for students, families, and educators in their communities."

McMahon said, "Closing the Department does not mean cutting off funds from those who depend on them—we will continue to support K-12 students, students with special needs, college student borrowers, and others who rely on essential programs. We're going to follow the law and eliminate the bureaucracy responsibly by working through Congress to ensure a lawful and orderly transition."

"With today's action, we take a significant step forward to give parents and states control over their children's education. Teachers will be unshackled from burdensome regulations and paperwork, empowering them to get back to teaching basic subjects. Taxpayers will no longer be burdened with tens of billions of dollars of waste on progressive social experiments and obsolete programs. K-12 and college students will be relieved of the drudgery caused by administrative burdens—and positioned to achieve success in a future career they love," McMahon said.

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