Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee is set to unveil a legislative proposal aimed at curbing the influence of the National Education Association (NEA) on Capitol Hill.
This initiative, known as the "Terminating Education Association Congressional Handouts Act" or the "Teach Act," seeks to prevent the NEA, the country's most prominent teachers union, from engaging in lobbying activities directed at Congress.
The senator's move follows her previous efforts to revoke the NEA's congressional charter, a status granted to the union in 1906. In a statement to Breitbart News, Blackburn criticized the NEA for straying from its foundational mission of supporting educators and students, accusing it of advancing a "far-left political agenda."
She remarked, "The NEA has become nothing more than a radical-left activist group, and it has no business using its status as a congressionally chartered entity to push woke gender ideology, antisemitism, and propaganda on Americas students."
According to Breitbart, the proposed legislation would require the NEA to annually certify to the Secretary of Education that it has abstained from lobbying activities. Furthermore, the union would be obligated to maintain records for potential federal audits. Noncompliance with these requirements could result in the termination of the NEA's status as a federally chartered corporation.
The NEA, established in 1857, has long been recognized as a nonprofit organization under federal law, with its charter acknowledging its mission and purpose. However, Blackburn's office has highlighted several recent political stances taken by the NEA as justification for the proposed legislation.
Notably, the union recently voted to sever ties with the Anti-Defamation League and to characterize President Donald Trump's actions as fascist in its materials, as revealed by documents obtained by conservative education expert Corey A. DeAngelis.
Under the leadership of NEA President Becky Pringle, the union has aligned with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), advocating for the inclusion of gender ideology in K-12 education and supporting policies that may conceal a child's "gender identity" from parents.
In 2021, the NEA adopted measures endorsing critical race theory and played a significant role in efforts to keep schools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, allegedly influencing CDC guidance.
The NEA's political contributions have also drawn scrutiny, with 98 percent of its donations in the 2024 election cycle reportedly directed to Democratic candidates, as per an Open Secrets report. This pattern of political alignment has fueled criticism from conservative circles, who argue that the union's actions reflect a broader leftist agenda rather than a focus on educational excellence.
Despite repeated requests for comment, the NEA has remained silent on the matter. The introduction of the Teach Act underscores ongoing tensions between conservative lawmakers and teachers unions, highlighting a broader debate over the role of politics in education and the influence of powerful lobbying entities on public policy.
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