The Trump administration is currently being sued by two dozen states for withholding more than $6 billion in funds already appropriated by Congress for several nationwide education programs. The funds have been paused despite apparent violations of the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which requires any executive withholdings of budget authority to be reviewed by Congress.
The Office of Management and Budget—helmed by Project 2025 architect Russell Vought—told ABC News that the funds are being withheld from programs that “grossly misused” government dollars to promote a “radical leftwing agenda.” The withheld funds were appropriated by Congress for Title II-A grants for effective educator instruction, Title IV-B grants for after-school programs, Title IV-A grants for student support, Title III-A funding for English Language Acquisition, Title I-C funding for Migrant Education and grants for adult education under the Fiscal Year 2025 Full-Year Continuing Resolution Act.
Typically, the funding for these programs are released annually on July 1 to help school districts plan and budget for the upcoming school year. As a result of the Trump administration’s decision to block them, school districts in Alabama are currently missing $89.9 million in anticipated federal funding, or 13.4 percent of the total Department of Education funding for Alabama’s K-12 schools.
Now, legislators on both sides of the aisle are calling on Trump to release the funding in accordance with the law—including U.S. Senator Katie Britt, R-Alabama.
On Tuesday, Britt took a rare stance in opposition to the Trump administration, joining several other Senate Republicans in signing a letter demanding that Vought and the OMB release the withheld funds.
“The decision to withhold this funding is contrary to President Trump’s goal of returning K-12 education to the states,” wrote Britt and her colleagues. “This funding goes directly to states and local school districts, where local leaders decide how this funding is spent, because as we know, local communities know how to best serve students and families. Withholding this funding denies states and communities the opportunity to pursue localized initiatives to support students and their families.”
“We welcome the opportunity to work with you [Vought] and Secretary McMahon to ensure that all federal education funding goes toward programs that help states and school districts provide students an excellent education,” the senators continued. “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.”
U.S. Senators John Boozman, R-Arkansas; Susan Collins, R-Maine; Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska; John Hoeven, R-North Dakota; Jim Justice, R-West Virginia; Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky; Lisa Murkowski, R-Arkansas; and Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, also signed on to the letter. Alabama’s other senator, Tommy Tuberville, was not among the signatories.
“The letter requests that the administration implement the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Full-Year Continuing Resolution Act, which President Trump signed into law earlier this year. This legislation contains critical funding that states rely on to help students, families, and local economies,” reads an official press release from Britt’s office.
Britt isn’t the only member of Alabama’s congressional delegation calling on the OMB to stop withholding the funds. Earlier this week, U.S. Representative Terri Sewell, D-Alabama, took similar action, signing on to a letter drafted by House Democrats which also demanded that the OMB release the “illegally withheld, Congressionally-appropriated federal funding.”
“On June 30, 2025, just one day before these funds become available for obligation, the Department notified states that they would not receive these funds by July 1 and that ‘[g]iven the change in Administrations, the Department is reviewing the FY 2025 funding … and decisions have not yet been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year,'” the members wrote.
“This late-breaking decision, which provided no timeline for which states can expect a final decision, is leaving states financially vulnerable and forcing many to make last-minute decisions about how to proceed with K12 education in this upcoming school year. The education funding withheld by the Administration reflects resources provided by Congress that are designed to help schools with a variety of issues, including student learning and achievement, after-school programs, and teacher training.”
The letter continued: “There is no legitimate reason why any review of these programs should prevent the Administration from fulfilling its responsibility to the American people on time. No more excuses—follow the law and release the funding meant for our schools, teachers, and families.”
As of writing, the Trump administration has yet to indicate if or when they will release any of the withheld funding.
