NEWS: Sanders Announces Vermont Will Receive Nearly $20 Million in Withheld Public Education Funding

NEWS: Sanders Announces Vermont Will Receive Nearly $20 Million in Withheld Public Education Funding

BURLINGTON, Vt., July 25 — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today issued the following statement after the Trump administration announced it would release nearly $20 million in public education funding for Vermont that it had illegally withheld, as part of nearly $5.5 billion that was held back nationwide.

A total of $26.1 million will now be available for schools in Vermont as a result of Sanders’ efforts.

On June 30, just one day before states expected to receive the funds, the Education Department sent a three-line email notifying states that $6.88 billion in public education funding would be illegally withheld. This decision received strong opposition from both Democrats and Republicans in Congress — including a letter led by Sanders and Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) alongside 32 Democratic senators, and a letter from Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and nine Republican senators demanding the release of these funds.

Last week, the department released a portion of these funds for summer and after-school programs — $6.5 million in Vermont and $1.3 billion nationally — as a result of Sanders’ demands that the Trump administration release the funds. That funding supports nearly 100 after-school and summer programs in Vermont serving 11,000 students.

“Let’s be clear: Today the administration solved a problem of its own making by finally releasing funding for our public schools that it illegally and unconstitutionally withheld,” Sanders said.

“I am glad these funds will finally get to schools to offer critical services — including support for students learning English, professional development for educators, and mental health services in the classroom. We as a nation must do much, much more to support our public schools,” Sanders continued. “I will continue to do everything in my power as Ranking Member to ensure the Department administers these funds in accordance with the law and without additional strings attached.”