OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — MaryKay Brown believes Special Olympics has transformed her son Patrick's life and enriched her family, so she's among a growing chorus upset the program's funding could be in jeopardy.
"Oh gosh. I don't even know where to begin," MaryKay said. "It's part of his social life."
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos came under fire for proposing to cut near $18 million from of Special Olympics, or roughly 10 percent of the program's overall funding.
She doubled down on the proposed cuts in a statement Wednesday, which praised the worthiness of Special Olympics' mission but confirmed the planned cuts: "Given our current budget realities, the federal government cannot fund every worthy program, particularly ones that enjoy robust support from private donations," DeVos said.
Many Special Olympics organizations conduct fundraisers, but the government's help remains necessary to keep the programs robust.
"We fundraise for everything on a local basis, but if anyone watches the Special Olympics in Dubai, you would understand it takes a lot to do things like that," Brown said.
She is concerned for the future of Special Olympics.
"How can you take away from an already undeserved community who has so little to fall back on?" Brown said. "Without the Special Olympics, I can't imagine where my son would be on Saturdays and Sundays."
Of course, the funding fight is far from finished.
U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) was among those who forcefully pushed back against defunding Special Olympics. His office released a statement Wednesday afternoon:
"I'm a longtime supporter of Special Olympics and proud that Missouri is home to the largest Special Olympics training facility in the world. I was just at the World Games and saw, as I have many times before, what a huge impact the organization has on athletes, their families, and their communities. Our Department of Education appropriations bill will not cut funding for the program."
With the House currently controlled by Democrats, many experts and observers don't anticipate the proposal will gain traction.
Still, Brown has a message for lawmakers.
"If the money does not come to support the entire program, I don't know what happens," she said. "If this falls apart, I don't know where the small group ends up. I don't want to imagine that. I'm counting on the fact that it it's not going to happen."
