1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

The banners hanging across the Department of Education building show large black-and-white portraits of Booker T. Washington, Catharine Beecher, and Charlotte Iserbyt, alongside bold slogans about “empowering states” and “telling the stories of our heroes” in American education. Federal buildings exist to carry out law passed by Congress, not to promote selective historical narratives or ideological messaging. The Department of Education is funded by taxpayers to administer federal programs and enforce civil rights protections, not to serve as a backdrop for political branding. I am calling on Congress to review the use of federal property and funds for this display, require a public explanation of its purpose and cost, and reaffirm that executive agencies must remain nonpartisan and focused on their statutory mission.