Senator Capito Leads GOP Demand for Release of Withheld Education Funds
- Jon Bernstein
- 23 hours ago
- 2 min read
Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), the Labor HHS Education Appropriations Co-Chair and Co-Chair of the America’s Language Caucus led nine other Senate Republicans in sending a letter to White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought that demands the release of the $6.9 billion in FY25 education funds that OMB is withholding. OMB has been holding funds from multiple programs, including key language education programs that support English Learners, Migrant Education, educator professional development and academic programming, since July 1. The stated rationale for the delay in allocating these dollars is that OMB is conducting a review of the programs to ensure alignment with the President’s policies.
In the letter, the Senators state that: “Withholding these funds will harm students, families, and local economies.” They also state: “We welcome the opportunity to work with you and Secretary McMahon to ensure that all federal education funding goes towards programs that help states and school districts provide students an excellent education. We want to see students in our states and across the country thrive, whether they are adult learners, students who speak English as a second language, or students who need after-school care so that their parents can work. We believe you share the same goal.”
The more than two-week federal funds allocation delay has created immense programs for school districts nationwide as they prepare to open for the next school year. While some school districts have carry-over funds from prior years at their disposal that will allow them to operate as normal, many others do not and are being forced to lay-off staff, cancel programs, and terminate contracts.
The letter from Senator Capito and the nine other Senators is particularly significant as it represents a strong showing of bipartisanship on this issue. Large groups of House and Senate Democrats have sent letters to OMB and the Department of Education and issued strongly worded public statements on the past week but, until today, no Republicans had publicly demanded that OMB reverse course and allow these funds to be released.