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Betsy DeVos at her confirmation hearing.

President Donald Trump’s pick to head the Department of Education Mrs. Betsy DeVos passed through her confirmation vote before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Friday 1/27 after an 12-11 vote in her favor. Her fight to confirmation had a rocky start, as the Office of Government Ethics requested her hearing be delayed in light of involvement with over 100 entities which raise dconflict of interest and ethical concerns (which DeVos has promised to divest herself from). The committee vote did not technically have the power to block DeVos’s nomination, they only either recommend nominees as favorable or unfavorable, but only one unfavorable recommendation has ever gone on to be confirmed to their position.

Betsy DeVos was born in Holland Michigan to parents with a net worth of $2.4 billion. She received a private education at the Holland Christian High School, and went on to Calvin College in Grand Rapids to earn her bachelor’s in Political Science and business administration. She is married to Richard DeVos Jr, the former CEO of Amway, the largest multi-level marketing company in the United States with annual revenue of $9.5 billion. Through his work at Amway and inheritance, Richard and Betsy DeVos have a combined net worth of $5.1 billion.

The DeVos family are longtime Republican insiders, Mrs. DeVos has participated in the Michigan Republican Party since 1982 as a local precinct delegate. She was a Michigan Representative for the National Republican Committee from 1992 to 1997, and the Chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party from 1996 to 2000. In 2000 she resigned, but ran and won again in 2003, serving until 2005. Beyond leadership positions, DeVos has been a prominent fundraiser and contributor to the Republican Party, in her words, her “family is the single largest contributor of soft money to the national Republican Party”, having given over $150 million in direct funds to the party. In an editorial piece in Mother Jones America DeVos stated that she was going “to stop taking offense at the suggestion that we are buying influence. Now I simply concede the point. They are right. We do expect some things in return.”

Beyond the Republican Party, Mrs. DeVos is extremely active in the evangelical christian community and has been a long time advocate of very specific educational goals, which is part of why President Trump selected her as nominee for the Secretary of Education.  She has served as Chairwoman of the Alliance for School Choice, the All Children Matter PAC, Advocates for School Choice, the Education Freedom Fund, and the American Education Reform Council. Each of the organizations which she has been involved with in education tend to center around one central theme: school choice. DeVos advocates for school choice because she believes public education is failing due to it being “a closed system, a closed industry, a closed market… as long as education remains a closed system… we will never see any real innovation that benefits more than a handful of students.” Betsy DeVos’ proposed solution to the education stalemate about which she is concerned lies primarily in charter schools through school voucher programs. School vouchers allow public funding to be taken from the general education fund to be used in charter and private schools. The school voucher system is controversial because some feel that such programs takes from an already underfunded public education system and primarily benefit wealthier people, who typically attend private and charter schools.

Another primary concern with DeVos’ nomination is her strong involvement with religion, and subsequent concerns over the separation of church and state. She is a member of the think tank Foundation for Excellence in Education, the publicly stated goal of which is to educate American children to “achieve his or her God-given potential.” In a 2001 interview at The Gathering, a convention of wealthy evangelicals, DeVos stated her education activism is working as a means “to advance God’s kingdom,” which is in line with her Calvinist theology.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a member of the House Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions prodded DeVos during his questioning about her intentions for making higher education free, to which she said “I think we have to consider the fact that there is nothing in life that is truly free, somebody’s going to have to pay for it.” Her response was one typical of the responses she made in the hearing, generally indirect, especially in response to the Democrats, whose questions were often very pointed and directly challenged her ideology.  

Colorado Senator and member of the committee Michael Bennett, during his time of questioning voiced his concerns that “Detroit public schools average 9% proficiency, the charter schools do a little better–14% of kids are proficient… the majority of charter schools in Michigan performed worse than public schools… what went wrong there that is going to go right in cities all across America as a result of your philosophy.” Which presents a key criticism of DeVos, in that the schools in her sphere of influence of Michigan have been largely unable to garner success from the educational changes she wishes to place across the country.

On Friday, February 3rd the Senate had one final day of deliberation, scheduled at the extremely unusually early 6:30 AM eastern. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly set the deliberation time so early out of frustration with the resistance put up by Democrats over DeVos’ nomination, and wishes to “run out the clock” in getting Devos’ confirmation vote. In scheduling the vote at 6:30, McConnell is made it so that a 30 hour filibuster would be required to delay DeVos’ final vote until Tuesday the 7th, the filibuster did not take place, however, so her confirmation vote will occur on Monday the 6th.

Two GOP senators have pledged to vote no on DeVos’ conformation: Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. They are the first republicans to break party lines and oppose one of President Trump’s nominations for cabinet. Both cited concerns over experience and DeVos’ view on public schools for their lack of support of the nominee, as well as an outpouring of public resistance to DeVos’ nomination. Murkowski stated that she “[had] heard from thousands, truly thousands, of Alaskans who shared their concerns” when announcing her decision to vote no before the Senate. The two defectors bring the nomination to a 50-50 tie, in which case she would not be appointed to be Secretary of Education, but it is expected that Vice President Mike Pence will be exercising his right as Vice President to vote in the Senate, giving her a 51-50 vote and the nomination if there are no more republicans who choose to vote against DeVos. Pence’s vote will be the first time in history a Vice Presidential vote will be needed to confirm a cabinet nominee.

Those interested in voicing their support either for or against Mrs. Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education are encouraged to contact their Senator.

Colorado Democrat Michael Bennet has already voted against her as a part of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and is expected to vote against her on Monday. Michael Bennet’s office can be reached at (719)328-1100 in order to either voice your support of his position or to try and change his stance.

Colorado Republican Cory Gardner is expected to vote yes for DeVos’ nomination in accordance with party lines. His office can be reached at (719)632-6706.

UPDATE —2/6/2017—

Democratic members of the Senate have decided to launch a last-ditch effort to block DeVos’ confirmation through a filibuster. The opponents are planning on talking for 24 hours straight in order to push the final vote to noon on Tuesday. During that time, they are hoping to flip the opinion of one more Republican in order to gain a majority coalition and block her confirmation.

UPDATE—2/7/2017—

During the Tuesday vote DeVos was confirmed to the position of Secretary of Education. The Democratic filibuster proved unsuccessful, and no  republicans voted against her, other than the original two who decided not to. Vice President Mike Pence did attend to cast the tie breaking vote, and Mrs. Betsy DeVos is now the Secretary of Education.