[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 40 (Monday, March 3, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S1446]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                      Nomination of Linda McMahon

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, the Senate will vote later today to confirm 
Linda McMahon to be Secretary of Education. Mrs. McMahon is an 
accomplished businesswoman and public servant. She is known for her 
role in building World Wrestling Entertainment, better known as WWE, 
from a small operation to a large and thriving enterprise. And she has 
used her success to give back and make a positive impact.
  Mrs. McMahon led efforts to promote reading and civic engagement 
through WWE. She spent 16 years on the board of trustees for Sacred 
Heart University in her home State of Connecticut. She served on the 
Connecticut Board of Education. In his first term, President Trump 
tapped Linda McMahon to lead the Small Business Administration, where 
she was known for listening to small businesses to make the SBA a more 
effective Agency.
  She will bring valuable experience, an incredible work ethic, and a 
passion for education to her new role leading the Department of 
Education. And she has a big task ahead of her. Let's acknowledge that. 
In January, the Nation's report card revealed that American students 
are still struggling to make up ground lost during the pandemic. 
Reading scores among fourth and eighth graders declined again, after 
falling in 2022 and 2019. One-third of eighth graders are reading below 
a basic level--the highest proportion ever recorded. Math scores showed 
modest improvement, but they still remain below prepandemic levels. And 
there is a widening gap in student performance. This should concern all 
of us.
  As the son of two public school educators and father of two daughters 
who went to public schools, I know this problem is not going to be 
fixed by Washington bureaucrats. It is going to be fixed by good 
teachers, administrators, school boards, and parents--the people who 
are closest to the students and most invested in their success.
  The Federal Government provides less than 10 percent of funding for 
schools in this country. The other 90 percent of funding--money that 
keeps the lights on, pays teachers, and buys new textbooks--well, that 
comes from State and local governments and from private sources. But 
while the Federal Government provides a small percentage of education 
funding, it is responsible for an outsize amount of bureaucracy and 
mandates in education. More often than not, it is these policies that 
are holding back school districts from innovating and ultimately 
improving the education that they provide.
  I am glad that Mrs. McMahon recognizes that education is not one-
size-fits-all. States have different needs. School districts and 
individual schools have different needs. And every student has his or 
her own needs and aspirations. So I am glad that Mrs. McMahon plans to 
work in a way that empowers those closest to the student, because they 
are in the best position to do what is right for that student.
  When I met with Mrs. McMahon, we had a long conversation about South 
Dakota's unique education needs, including our Tribal schools, and I 
look forward to working with Linda McMahon to limit bureaucracy, 
empower State and local governments, and let good teachers do what they 
are best at and what they love to do, and that is to help students 
succeed.