Education Secretary Linda McMahon plans to spend $43,278.64 on new office furniture as she lobbies Congress to shut down her department. Her team claims the current furniture is worn out and incompatible with the agency’s new, smaller headquarters. The move, which shifts the department to a former USAID building, is part of a broader effort to reduce the federal education footprint and save $5 million annually.
McMahon, a former wrestling executive, has already cut hundreds of jobs and transferred key functions to other agencies. Senators Patty Murray and Tammy Baldwin have condemned the purchase as wasteful, calling it hypocritical amid calls to eliminate the department. The Education Department workforce has dropped from 4,100 to 2,300 employees.
The new office will use 80% less space than the current 386,600-square-foot headquarters. Press secretary Savannah Newhouse defended the purchase, comparing it to private-sector office needs. Union leaders called the spending “incredibly wasteful” and disrespectful to civil servants managing programs through ongoing chaos.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing