Three months ago, U.S. Rep. Justin Amash publicly congratulated fellow West Michigander Betsy DeVos on her nomination as secretary of education.
The Cascade Township Republican joined seven other members of his party to introduce a bill that would eliminate the department.
The bill -- House Resolution 899 -- was sponsored by U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky. It is one sentence long: "The Department of Education shall terminate on December 31, 2018."
The proposed elimination of the U.S. Department of Education -- which was created by President Jimmy Carter and began operating in 1980 -- is nothing new. President Ronald Reagan promised elimination of the department shortly after its creation, but was unable to accomplish that goal.