Todd Spangler at The Detroit Free Press:
President Donald Trump reversed course Thursday afternoon and said that his administration would continue to fund the Special Olympics despite Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' defending the proposed cut this week to Congress.
Speaking before leaving the White House for a campaign rally Thursday night in Grand Rapids, Trump told reporters simply, "The Special Olympics will be funded, I just told my people."
He offered no additional information about whether his administration will commit to funding the entire $17.6 million Special Olympics had been getting and whether it will be protected from future proposed reductions.Earlier in the day, DeVos defended the cut against questioning from Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL):
"I've given a portion of my salary to Special Olympics," said DeVos, raising her voice as Durbin tried to interrupt her with more questions about the cut. "Let's not use disabled children in a twisted way for your political narrative. That's just disgusting and is shameful."Laura Meckler at WP:
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Thursday her department has not begun implementing an Obama-era regulation designed to ensure children of color are not disproportionately punished or sent to special-education classrooms, despite a court order.
Three weeks ago, a federal court ruled that the Trump administration must implement the rule immediately. On Thursday, DeVos told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that the Education Department was still “reviewing the court’s decision and discussing our options.”
