Last week, President Trump signed an executive order to "shut down" the Department of Education, but he can't do that. 

Executive orders are not laws and only Congress has the ability to abolish a federal department. President Trump’s attempt to dismantle the Department of Education is blatantly unconstitutional and is yet another effort to sidestep the authority of Congress.

This will be challenged in court and, make no mistake, we will win.

The Department of Education was established through an act of Congress and only an act of Congress can abolish it.

It is cruel just for the sake of it and targets our most vulnerable children. Students with disabilities rely on the ED for special education programming and funding. Hungry kids use ED funds for free school lunches, oftentimes their only reliable meal throughout the day.

Low-income students use their schooling to build a better life for themselves.

I have always been a champion for education and I invite my Republican colleagues to be the same. Let’s put partisanship aside, work together, and stand against this unconstitutional action so we can stand for our children’s futures.

Here are just some of the ways I am pushing back against this unconstitutional executive overreach and fighting to strengthen America's education system: 

Wednesday, March 5: I led 30 of my colleagues in a letter calling on committee leadership to investigate the illegal executive overreaching happening at the Department of Education. Full letter here. 

Tuesday, March 11: I voted against the Continuing Resolution, as it underfunds critical education programs and gives President Trump broad authority to cut federal support for students, schools, and HBCUs. Full statement here.

Tuesday, March 18: I joined Rep. Gwen Moore in co-sponsoring the 2025 School Social Work Week Resolution. School social workers are vital to our students’ success and well-being.

Friday, March 21: I joined Committee Democrats in introducing a Resolution of Inquiry demanding transparency from the Trump Administration on its attempt to dismantle the Department of Education. The resolution requests all documents related to the executive order, including legal memos and communications about staffing and program cuts. Full resolution here.

Tuesday, March 25: I have continued speaking with Department of Education employees amid efforts to dismantle the agency. As a former HBCU professor, I am deeply concerned over the impact these efforts are having on civil rights enforcement, federal student aid, and K–12 protections for students with disabilities.

Yesterday, I, along with Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35) and Senator John Fetterman (PA), introduced the Bicameral Food Secure Strikers Act of 2025 which allows striking workers to qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

The introduction comes as multiple high-profile strikes take place across the country with 2024 seeing 271,500 workers striking.

Currently, striking workers and their households are excluded from SNAP eligibility and cannot receive SNAP benefits unless they were previously eligible before the strike.

While unions can sometimes reduce the financial stress of a strike, workers still face serious financial insecurity when striking due to loss of income.

Many striking workers are also not union members, meaning they have an even smaller safety net, if any at all. The Food Secure Strikers Act of 2025 would repeal the restriction on striking workers from receiving SNAP.

Labor unions were essential in building strong safety nets and worker protections in this country. It’s time we return the favor to our striking workers!

By allowing strikers to access SNAP, we help ensure they don’t need to choose between feeding their families or fighting for fair working conditions.

Striking takes courage and supporting the Food Secure Strikers Act of 2025 is an important way we can show our solidarity to everyone on the picket line.

I was honored to give the keynote address at Johnson C. Smith University’s annual Honors Convocation and celebrate some of the accomplished students in our Charlotte community.

These students are our future, and I know that the future is bright because of them.

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the country and in each congressional district. Since the Artistic Discovery competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated.

Students submit entries to their representative's office, and panels of district artists select the winning entries. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, DC. The winning works are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.

My office is now accepting submissions for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition from high school students who live or attend school in North Carolina's 12th Congressional District.

Submissions are due by April 1st. 

As part of the Lowe’s Foundation’s focus on closing the skilled trades gap across the United States, the Lowe’s Foundation Gable Grants program is accepting grant applications for community and technical colleges that offer innovative skilled trades training programs. Applications are accepted now through March 31, 2025. 

This round of Gable Grant applications is for community and technical colleges only. The next Gable Grant cycle for community-based organizations and nonprofits will open later this year.

The Lowe’s Foundation Gable Grants program is a 5-year, $50 million commitment to train 50,000 job-ready, skilled tradespeople to build a stronger infrastructure that supports our communities for the long term. From 2023-2028, community and technical colleges, and community-based nonprofit organizations across the country can apply for grants to recruit, train, and employ the future skilled trades workforce.

Helpful Links:

• Gable Grant Eligibility Guidelines
• Gable Grants FAQs
• Lowe's Foundation Fact Sheet

Since 2023, the Lowe's Foundation has awarded over $34 million in Gable Grants to help educate and advocate for the next generation of skilled tradespeople by supporting training programs focused on carpentry and construction, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and appliance repair. This includes nearly $9 million awarded last month to 15 nonprofit organizations across the country, all aimed at supporting the skilled trades workforce. You can read more about these nonprofit organizations here.