Multiple ESPN personalities are defending the Special Olympics after Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’s proposed budget cut funding for the organization, which was founded more than 50 years ago.
The defense from the sports network’s stars comes after DeVos appeared before a House subcommittee on Tuesday to go over her department’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which included what she called “difficult decisions” that include $18 million in federal funding cuts to the Special Olympics, according to an NBC News report.
“Please read this @BetsyDeVos,” tweeted ESPN personality and former U.S. women’s soccer standout Julie Foudy. “God, you need to only spend .01 minute watching these @SpecialOlympics athletes perform to understand the power of this program.”
Tony Reali, host of “Around the Horn,” a sports debate program that airs weekday afternoons, also took to Twitter:
Other ESPN personalities weighed in to urge DeVos to reconsider the cuts, calling them “tough to watch.”
{mosads}ESPN just completed its coverage of the March 14-21 Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi, including more hours of coverage than previous years.
“I think Special Olympics is an awesome organization, one that is well supported by the philanthropic sector as well,” DeVos said on Tuesday.