Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' proposed budget that cuts grant funding to the Special Olympics is "cruel, it's misguided, and it's outrageous," Rep. Joe Kennedy, whose great aunt Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded the organization, said Thursday.
"Republicans just passed a tax cut that reduced funding into our coffers and then to say you don't have the money for Special Olympics or autism funding. It's cruel, it's misguided and it's outrageous," the Massachusetts Democrat told CNN's "New Day."
He also said he's confident the cuts will never be approved because of the program's bipartisan, community, international and national support and impact.
"This is an exact example of a program that, between a nonprofit community support and government, is able to lift up those that historically have been left in the shadows throughout our country's history," Kennedy said."Why would the federal government not want to raise those folks up and celebrate them?"
Devos, however, said on Wednesday that the Special Olympics does not need any federal backing, because it can raise private contributions.
"The federal government cannot fund every worthy program, particularly ones that enjoy robust support from private donations," she said while insisting she supports the Special Olympics.
According to a spokesperson, DeVos donated part of her salary to the Special Olympics last year, and Kennedy said he does appreciate that and hope she continues to support the program.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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