Wyden, Bonamici, Salinas Join Colleagues Demanding McMahon Reverse Abrupt Policy Change Halting Funding for Schools Nationwide

Wyden, Bonamici, Salinas Join Colleagues Demanding McMahon Reverse Abrupt Policy Change Halting Funding for Schools Nationwide

Lawmakers press Trump's Department of Education about its abrupt halt of funding for state governments and school districts that adds an unnecessary hurdle to reimbursement and will harm students following the pandemic.

Washington D.C.-U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici and Andrea Salinas, D-Ore., said today they have joined Senate and House colleagues in a letter demanding a reversal of a new federal Department of Education policy that imposes new red tape on Oregon and other states that prevent their access to pandemic relief funds they are counting on to support students' learning.

In their letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon, the lawmakers press McMahon for immediate reversal of the department's revision to its longstanding liquidation extension policy for COVID-19 education recovery funding-warning that the department's change, along with its myriad other harmful actions recently, seriously jeopardizes students' learning and growth.

"We write to request the immediate reversal of the Department of Education's recent March 28, 2025, action to revise the liquidation extension policy for COVID-19 relief funds," the lawmakers wrote. "Just over a month ago, the Department announced a policy change to the longstanding extension policy that imposed an additional step for processing of extension reimbursements. … However, on March 28, 2025, with many state extension requests having been approved more than six months ago, the Department suddenly announced on March 28 that 'the Department is modifying the liquidation period to end on March 28, 2025,' the very same day as the announcement."

"In short," the lawmakers state, "the Department changed the spending rules it affirmed just one month ago, without providing any notice, and imposing more federal red tape."

The lawmakers note that the abrupt change-coupled with the mass firings at the Department of Education-seriously threaten the ability of schools to support students' learning: "When combined with the massive reduction in force announced earlier this month, the Department jeopardizes an estimated $4 billion from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 and American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in nearly all of our states and outlying areas and roughly 1,000 school districts nationwide. This action is particularly harmful to rural school districts that faced the greatest disruptions during the authorized program period. This will also have a disproportionate impact on $800 million reserved for identification and support for students experiencing homelessness, which was implemented slowly in many states. The March 28th decision of the Department improperly imposes its will on state and local budget decisions in a manner not contemplated by Congress."

The lawmakers also called out that while the Trump administration works to cut off this funding for schools, it is pushing to pass new tax cuts for billionaires: "Let's be very clear: The abrupt change in the liquidation extension policy is yet another way this administration is seeking to strip educational opportunities for students in order to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations. President Trump and Congressional Republicans are intent in claiming any savings they can in the federal budget that they intend to use to pay for their tax cuts for billionaires and large corporations."

"We believe there is a better way," they conclude. "We urge you to immediately rescind your March 28 revision to the longstanding liquidation extension policy. Further, we believe you should work with us to start properly executing our federal education laws as Congress intended."

The letter was led in the Senate by U.S. Senators Patty Murray, D-Wash., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis. In addition to Wyden the letter was signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Tim Kaine, D-Va., Angus King, I-Maine, Ed Markey, D-Mass., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Jeanne Shaheen, D-Mo., Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Mark Warner, D-Va., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

In the House, the letter was led by U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, D-Va. In addition to Bonamici and Salinas, the letter was signed by Representatives Alma Adams, D-N.C., Donald Beyer, D-Va., Julia Brownley, D-Calif., Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, André Carson, D-Ind., Greg Casar, D-Texas, Sean Casten, D-Ill., Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., Joe Courtney, D-Conn., Danny Davis, D-Ill., Diana DeGette, D- Colo., Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., Sarah Elfreth, D-Md., Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., Dwight Evans, D-Pa., Shomari Figures, D-Ala., Jesús García, D-Ill., Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill., Hank Johnson, D-Ga., Robin Kelly, D-Ill., Timothy Kennedy, D-N.Y., John Larson, D-Conn., Summer Lee, D-Pa., Lucy McBath, D-Ga., Sarah McBride, D-Del., Jennifer McClellan, D-Va., Betty McCollum, D-Minn., Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Mich., Jim McGovern, D-Mass., LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., Donald Norcross, D-N.J., Johnny Olszewski, D-Md., Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, Mark Pocan, D-Mich., Linda Sánchez, D-Calif., Terri Sewell, D-Ala., Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., Lateefah Simon, D-Calif., Darren Soto, D-Fla., Haley Stevens, D-Mich., Mark Takano, D-Calif., Dina Titus, D-Nev., Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.Y., Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., and Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C.

The full text of the letter is here.