Senator Collins, Bipartisan Group Urge Timely Delivery of TRIO Programs at Education Department

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) led a bipartisan group of Senators in writing to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to urge the timely delivery of federal funds from TRIO grant programs. TRIO is a long-standing set of federal programs that help approximately 840,000 students prepare for, enter, and graduate from college - specifically low-income and first-generation students.

"Unfortunately, in recent years, the Department of Education has failed to award grants to TRIO recipients in sufficient time," the Senators wrote. "For example, last year, the Department of Education delayed releasing more than $600 million in federal funding for over 2,000 TRIO programs, which impacted over 650,000 low-income, first-generation students."

"These delays can result in increased strain on program administrators and, more importantly, students," they continued. "By delaying the execution of these programs, programs may be forced to make difficult decisions, including laying off staff or scaling back services. This has a direct impact on the timeliness and quality of TRIO services, and it may result in students losing access to the help they need to succeed in college."

"As such, we ask that the Department of Education launch the grant competition for Talent Search and Educational Opportunity Centers by March 1, 2026, so that award notices can be released no later than June 30, 2026, and programs can begin promptly on September 1, 2026," the Senators concluded.

The complete text of their letter can be read here.

At a Senate Appropriations hearing last year, Senator Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, questioned Secretary McMahon on the proposed elimination of TRIO programs in the President's 2025 budget proposal. In response, the Secretary committed to work with Congress, acknowledging that Congress controls the purse strings, while expressing a willingness to renegotiate grant terms to strengthen accountability and oversight. The Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill signed into law earlier this month included $1.2 billion for TRIO programs.

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