Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro called President Trump's Department of Education budget "cruel," "inhumane" and "heartless" Wednesday.

The proposal, released by the White House on Tuesday, cuts the agency's budget by $9.2 billion, or 13.5 percent. DeLauro said a reduction of that size would negatively impact high-poverty areas.

"This is a budget — and I characterized it, Mr. Chairman, in the [agriculture] appropriations committee this morning — it is cruel, it is inhumane, and it is heartless," the Connecticut Democrat said during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

DeLauro said the Education Department's proposal wouldn't hurt members of Congress and their families, but rather millions of underserved children.

"I'm going to fight this budget, Mr. Chairman, with every fiber of my body because it is wrong to do this to our kids," DeLauro said.