"True": Politifact.com just issued a fact-check calling assertions that State Sen. Joni Ernst wants to abolish the federal Department of Education and the EPA "right on track."
In addition, since the Education Department administers federal student loan programs, Politifact "asked the Ernst campaign what her plan for Pell Grants is, but we didn't get a response."
Full fact-check: http://www.
Key passages:
Does Joni Ernst want to abolish the Education Department and the EPA?
Politifact.com
June 27, 2014
http://www.politifact.com/
[...]
"I do believe that we can make the cuts necessary within our federal government," Ernst said. She called for "closing the doors to the Department of Education at the federal level. And not just because it would save taxpayer dollars, but because I do believe our children are better educated when it's coming from the state."
[...]
The ad says that if Ernst is elected, 213,000 Iowa students would lose their federal Pell Grants. According to federal numbers, that is the number of Iowans who received Pell Grants in 2011-12. We asked the Ernst campaign what her plan for Pell Grants is, but we didn't get a response.
While answering the same question that prompted her Education Department response, Ernst also mentioned the EPA. "Let's shut down the EPA," she said. Ernst gave the same rationale for this slash in government, saying, "The state knows best how to protect resources."
# # #
