Pressure Mounts: GOP Senators Join Bipartisan Push for Release of $6 Billion Education Funds

A coalition of Republican senators, led by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), has issued a rare rebuke to the Trump administration, urging the immediate release of over $6 billion in federal education funding currently being withheld. The funds, already appropriated by Congress, were paused on June 30 for an ongoing review, despite typically being allocated to states and local school districts by July 1. This delay has left education leaders across the country scrambling as the new school year approaches.

In a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought, the ten GOP senators argued that withholding these funds contradicts President Trump’s goal of empowering states in K-12 education, emphasizing that “local communities know how to best serve students and families.”

This bipartisan plea follows recent legal action by dozens of state attorneys general and Democratic governors who have also sued the administration over the funding freeze. Alabama Superintendent of Education Eric Mackey expressed frustration, stating it undermines “transparency and consistency” for programs already authorized by Congress.

While OMB referred questions to the Education Department, an OMB spokesman stated that no final decisions have been made, though they previously indicated concerns about some programs “grossly misused” government funds to promote a “radical leftwing agenda.” The senators, however, countered this, asserting they “do not believe that is happening with these funds.”

The controversy unfolds as the Supreme Court recently lifted an injunction, allowing the administration to proceed with efforts to potentially restructure or dismantle the Education Department – a move requiring Congressional approval. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), another signatory, has introduced legislation to block grant funds and redistribute departmental functions, though its passage remains uncertain. Other prominent Republicans signing the letter include Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).

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