Merkley, Baldwin Leads 25 Colleagues in Rejecting the Trump Admin’s Latest Move to Politicize and Undermine Education Funding

Merkley, Baldwin Leads 25 Colleagues in Rejecting the Trump Admin’s Latest Move to Politicize and Undermine Education Funding September 25, 2026 New effort would allow Trump appointees to cut off funding to states, colleges, and schools, even after grants have been awarded, with no justification WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee, led 25 of their Senate colleagues in slamming the Department of Education’s (ED) latest move to further undermine the Department and jeopardize billions of dollars in funding for schools. Specifically, the Senators outlined their concerns with ED’s proposed changes to the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) that would allow the President’s political appointees to cancel grants to local schools for any reason – putting everything from school-based mental health programs to teacher training programs under constant threat of being defunded at any point. The Senators also raise concerns that, if implemented, the rule would lead to weaker evidence-based standards for programs that serve students, hinder student achievement, and defy Congressional intent. This rule comes on top of a tumultuous funding process under the Trump Administration, which has continued to try to entirely shut down the Department of Education. “This proposed rule is unnecessarily broad and vague, would undermine the stability of educational programs, and does nothing to improve educational outcomes for students,” wrote the Senators in a letter to Secretary McMahon. “As the Trump Administration continues its illegal attempt to dismantle the Department, this proposed rule will only serve to increase chaos and uncertainty for schools, states, institutions of higher education and families across the Country.” Specifically, the Trump administration’s proposed rule allows the department to terminate a grant “for convenience.” This would allow Trump’s political appointees to terminate grants, even ones that have been awarded, with no justification. “Schools and other grant recipients need a meaningful degree of certainty to properly plan their budgets and provide services to students,” the Senators continued. “Broad, unwarranted termination and discontinuation authority makes it difficult, if not impossible, for recipients to responsibly plan and spend these funds. In section 75.253(c), the proposal also would remove a priority to continue previously awarded grants over awarding new grants. These changes will increase funding uncertainty which may discourage recipients from undertaking ambitious projects.” “We know high-quality education has the ability to raise families out of poverty and meaningfully improve future earnings. However, at a time when student achievement is falling and families are struggling with rising costs, this proposed rule only serves to undermine efforts to improve outcomes for students and raise costs by creating financial uncertainty for schools and educational programs,” the Senators concluded. “This damage and uncertainty will only hurt student populations that federal funding intended to support.” The letter was also co-led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and signed by Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Edward Markey (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ). Full text of the letter is available here and below. Dear Secretary McMahon, We write in opposition to the proposed rule, “Education Department General Administrative Regulations” (EDGAR) (Docket ID ED-2026-OPEPD-2542),1 which would make fundamental changes to the administration of formula and competitive grants Congress has authorized and funded through the U.S. Department of Education (“the Department”). This proposed rule is unnecessarily broad and vague, would undermine the stability of educational programs, and does nothing to improve educational outcomes for students. As the Trump Administration continues its illegal attempt to dismantle the Department, this proposed rule will only serve to increase chaos and uncertainty for schools, states, institutions of higher education and families across the country. One of the key functions of the Department is to award and administer both formula and competitive grants. These grants range from Title I-A, which provide additional funding for elementary and secondary education programs serving students from