WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Eugene Vindman (D-Va.-07) led his Virginia delegation colleagues — U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott (D-Va.-03), Don Beyer (D-Va.-08), Jennifer McClellan (D-Va.-04), Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.-10) and U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) — in urging the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Office of the Management and Budget (OMB) to address frozen funds to educational programs across the country.
The lawmakers wrote to ED Secretary Linda McMahon and OMB Administrator Russell T. Vought to request a briefing for the full delegation on this funding freeze impacting schools across Virginia, including in Stafford County, Virginia.
“Despite the recent news that the 21st Century Community Learning Center funding will now be released, Virginia still has over $100.2 million in funding currently frozen. This translates to millions of dollars in losses for Virginia classrooms as the funds remain frozen, with no clear timeline for their release,” wrote the lawmakers. “As you illegally withhold these funds, school superintendents and principals across our state are being asked to revise staffing plans, cancel programs, and plug cash-flow gaps to keep serving their students.”
The lawmakers continued, “Public education is the backbone of our democracy, as is fealty to the U.S. Constitution. It is deeply disappointing to see the Trump Administration insist upon violating our nation’s most basic laws, time and time again — all to keep education dollars away from the students that need it most.”
Full text of the letter is available below.
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Secretary McMahon and Director Vought,
We are incredibly disheartened and disturbed to hear that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Department of Education (ED) are choosing to withhold duly appropriated Fiscal Year 2025 education funding from Virginia schools.
On June 30, ED informed state education agencies, including the Virginia Department of Education, that funding expected on July 1, 2025 would be withheld. Specifically, these funds, which totaled nearly $7 billion, are used for a variety of programs, including Adult Basic and Literacy Education, Student Support and Academic Enrichment, and English Language Acquisition.
These funds were held with less than 24 hours’ notice, immediately destabilizing district budgets across the country. Since then, over $5 billion in legally obligated federal education funds remain “under review.”
Despite the recent news that the 21st Century Community Learning Center funding will now be released, Virginia still has over $100.2 million in funding currently frozen. This translates to millions of dollars in losses for Virginia classrooms as the funds remain frozen, with no clear timeline for their release.
For example, Stafford County Public Schools, which serve over 32,000 students, would lose over $1 million from these programs. This would force cuts to teacher mentoring, professional development for mandated programs and curricula, ESOL services and support, family engagement, adult education, and many other essential services and supports for students and families. Across the entire Commonwealth, these funds benefit around 130 school districts, nearly 2,000 public schools, and over 1.2 million students.
These funds were enacted in March 2025 on a bipartisan basis and even signed into law by President Trump. As any Virginia civics student could tell you, you do not get a line-item veto after you sign a bill.
As you illegally withhold these funds, school superintendents and principals across our state are being asked to revise staffing plans, cancel programs, and plug cash-flow gaps to keep serving their students.
We request an in-person briefing with the Virginia Congressional delegation at your earliest availability to explain: (1) the status and timeline for release of each affected program’s funds to Virginia; (2) any conditions or “guardrails” the Administration intends to impose on these funds; and (3) contingency guidance for school divisions if funds are not released promptly. Please respond to this letter no later than August 1, 2025.
Public education is the backbone of our democracy, as is fealty to the U.S. Constitution. It is deeply disappointing to see the Trump Administration insist upon violating our nation’s most basic laws, time and time again — all to keep education dollars away from the students that need it most.
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