Key Takeaways
10 GOP senators defied Trump over a $5-7B education freeze impacting summer programs & migrant students, calling it “contrary to the President’s goal” of local control
Senate narrowly passed $9B DOGE cuts slashing foreign aid & PBS funding after VP Vance broke a tie; Collins/Murkowski opposed citing lack of transparency
States sued the administration after funds were halted via a “three-sentence email” with no timeline, causing summer school closures
OMB used “pocket rescission” threats to withhold $30B+ in congressionally approved spending, triggering legal battles over executive power
Education funds were partially released on July 24 after GOP pressure, but long-term fights loom over Trump’s budget tactics
The $5 Billion School Shock: How Vought’s Freeze Hit Classrooms
So the thing is, the Education Department just dropped this bomb on June 30th, right? Like one day before cash was supposed to hit school bank accounts. They sent out these vague emails – three sentences! – saying all this federal money was “under review.” No warning, no timeline. Zip. We’re talking $5 billion minimum, maybe even $7 billion according to some estimates. That’s not just spare change, that’s money for stuff like afterschool programs, teaching training, help for migrant kids learning English. Poof. Frozen .
States were furious. I mean, they budgeted for this. Signed contracts, hired staff, planned summer programs. Now what? The Learning Policy Institute crunched numbers showing this freeze yanked away over 10% of federal K-12 cash from 33 states and territories. Think about West Virginia or Alaska – places where every dollar counts double. Superintendents were scrambling. Tara Thomas from AASA nailed it: this isn’t just about budgets, it pushes unfunded mandates onto schools already stretched thin .
Then you got the political side. OMB Director Russell Vought claimed it wasn’t a “freeze,” just a “programmatic review” to align with Trump’s priorities. But c’mon – holding back cash approved by Congress, signed by Trump himself back in March? It felt like a power play. Especially since Trump’s budget had proposed killing these exact programs. Critics saw it as an end-run around Congress. And it wasn’t just Dems howling. Republican senators like Lisa Murkowski called it “chaotic” and worried it handed leverage to China .
GOP Rebellion: 10 Senators Break Ranks Over Freeze
Honestly didn’t see this coming so strong. Ten Republican senators – including heavyweights like Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski – firing off a letter to Vought on July 17th demanding he release the school funds. That’s a big deal. Their argument? This freeze “denies states and communities the opportunity to pursue localized initiatives” and “is contrary to President Trump’s goal of returning K-12 education to the states” . Ouch.
They pushed back hard on the idea this cash funded “radical left-wing programs.” Nah, they said. This is bipartisan stuff: summer lunches, English tutors for migrant kids, after-school care so parents can work. Senator Shelley Moore Capito stressed rural districts in her state rely on this for basics. Jim Justice (West Virginia’s governor-turned-senator) knows his schools needed those 21st Century Community Learning Center grants yesterday .
The letter wasn’t polite suggestion either. It demanded a “prompt reply” and reversal. This crew included both Trump skeptics (Collins, Murkowski) and allies (John Hoeven, Mike Rounds). That unity signaled real panic back home. School admins were blowing up their phones about closing summer programs. And politically? It’s risky defying Trump, but letting schools crumble is riskier .
DOGE’s $9B Ax: Foreign Aid, NPR, and the Senate Showdown
While classrooms sweated, another budget bomb was ticking: the DOGE rescissions package. Trump wanted $9.4 billion back – $8B from foreign aid, $1.1B from public broadcasting (NPR/PBS). The House okayed it fast in June. But the Senate? That was a knife fight .
Russell Vought pitched it as fiscal responsibility: “getting our fiscal house in order.” But Senators grilled him for hours. Susan Collins actually held up vitamins and kid’s food packs used in global health programs asking “Will this get cut?” Vought dodged specifics, just mumbled about stopping “liberal non-profits.” Patty Murray (D-WA) warned letting this slide meant Congress surrenders its power of the purse permanently .
The vote dragged 12+ hours overnight July 16-17. Amendments flew. Democrats tried to save PBS, restore AIDS funding (PEPFAR). Republicans Mike Rounds fought for tribal radio stations in South Dakota – got a last-minute carve-out. In the end? VP JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie twice to pass it. Collins and Murkowski voted no, calling the cuts vague and reckless. McConnell flipped to yes after PEPFAR was spared, but still slammed the “chaotic” process .
Pocket Rescissions: OMB’s Controversial End-Run Around Congress
Here’s where it gets legally sketchy. Vought didn’t just push Congress to rescind funds; OMB had already frozen $30+ billion using “pocket rescissions.” How? By sitting on cash past deadlines or exploiting loopholes in the Impoundment Control Act. If funds aren’t obligated by Sept 30 (year-end), they vanish. So delaying = de facto cuts .
Lawyers call this unprecedented aggression. Attorneys General from 24 states sued in federal court (Massachusetts) arguing OMB’s moves violate Congress’s constitutional spending power. The lawsuit targets a vague “obscure clause” OMB cited to halt grants. Senator Mitt Romney reportedly fumed this wasn’t “surgical” but a “meat axe” to programs .
Vought defended it as enforcing Trump’s priorities against a “deep state” resisting cuts. But even allies blanched. Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) reportedly told WH staff the strategy “makes us look like amateurs.” The education freeze was part of this – holding cash past the July 1 release date to pressure Congress. It worked short-term, but the legal backlash could tie up Trump’s agenda for months .
States Strike Back: Lawsuits and Local Fallout from Cuts
So what happened in real towns when funds vanished? Chaos. New Mexico cancelled migrant student summer school. A rural Ohio district shut its free lunch program. Minnesota trimmed teacher PD workshops. All within days of the freeze. That’s why 24 states + D.C. sued on July 15th. Their claim? OMB violated the Administrative Procedure Act by acting “arbitrarily and capriciously” .
The lawsuit details harm: contracts broken, low-income kids losing meals, teachers laid off before fall term. Colorado AG Phil Weiser called it “economic arson.” They want a judge to order immediate fund release. Separately, school groups like AASA and National Education Association are prepping suits over the DOGE cuts to PBS, which many schools use for curriculum .
Congress pushed back too. The Senate Appropriations Committee (led by Collins) passed a bipartisan bill July 25th ordering OMB to disburse education funds within 10 days. It’s a power struggle: who controls the purse? The WH or Capitol Hill? With courts involved, this fight could stretch to SCOTUS .
Partial Retreat: White House Releases Some Funds Amid Pressure
Guess the heat worked? On July 24th, OMB quietly unlocked $3.1 billion of the frozen education money – mostly Title I grants for low-income schools. Why? GOP sources say McConnell and Katie Britt leaned hard on Trump after local superintendents bombarded them with closure notices .
But it’s not a full surrender. Teacher training funds ($2B) and migrant student aid ($1B) remain frozen pending “further review.” And the DOGE cuts to PBS/foreign aid are law now. Plus, Vought warned at a Monitor Breakfast this week: “This is phase one. Taxpayers will see more rescissions as we find waste” .
The win for schools is partial, temporary. Advocacy groups note even released funds arrived weeks late – forcing districts to borrow or cut programs. And Trump’s 2026 budget still proposes eliminating 29 education programs entirely. The battle shifts from crisis mode to a grinding war over every dollar .
Constitutional Clash: Does OMB Overreach Weaken Congress?
Beyond dollars, this is about separation of powers. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) reportedly warned colleagues that letting OMB freeze funds unchecked makes Congress “a advisory board.” The Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse (Article I, Section 9). Rescissions require Congressional approval – not unilateral holds .
Experts like the CRFB (Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget) call “pocket rescissions” legally dubious. If courts allow it, future Presidents could ignore spending bills by slow-walking cash. Imagine a Democrat withholding defense contracts! Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Mitt Romney are drafting a bill to close the “OMB loophole” by tightening obligation deadlines .
Vought argues Presidents must control spending execution. But even GOP lawyers admit he’s testing boundaries. If the Massachusetts lawsuit succeeds, it could force OMB to release all frozen funds and limit future holds. That ruling is expected by late August – potentially a landmark check on executive power .
What Comes Next: Repercussions for 2025 and Beyond
So where does this leave us? First, schools got some relief, but long-term programs like teacher training or migrant student support are still in jeopardy. Second, the DOGE cuts are active – meaning local PBS stations face a 15% funding cliff starting in October. NPR may cut rural bureaus .
Politically, the GOP rift matters. The 10 senators who rebuked Trump (Collins, Murkowski, Britt, etc.) showed independence but risk MAGA primary challenges. Trump’s team is reportedly “livid” at McConnell. Meanwhile, Democrats see 2025 budget talks as a chance to paint Republicans as anti-education .
Looking ahead, three things to track:
Court rulings on the state lawsuits (expected August/September)
New rescission packages – OMB is eyeing $14B more in cuts before September 30
The 2026 budget – Trump’s full plan slashes Ed/foreign aid further
This isn’t over. It’s a new front in the spending wars – with classrooms caught in the crossfire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Republicans oppose Trump's education cuts?
10 GOP senators led by Collins, Murkowski, and McConnell argued freezing $5-7B in school funds hurt their states’ local programs like summer schools and teacher training. They said it violated Trump’s own goal of "returning K-12 education to the states" and caused immediate harm .
What is the DOGE rescissions package?
A $9.4 billion spending cut package pushed by Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). It slashed $8B from foreign aid programs and $1.1B from public broadcasting (NPR/PBS). Passed the Senate 51-48 on July 17 after VP Vance broke a tie .
Did any education funds get restored?
Partially. On July 24, OMB released $3.1B for low-income schools (Title I) after GOP pressure. But teacher training ($2B) and migrant student aid ($1B) remain frozen as of July 27 .
Is freezing congressionally approved funds legal?
24 states sued arguing it violates federal law. They claim OMB’s use of “pocket rescissions” (delaying funds past deadlines) breaches Congress’s spending power. A federal court will rule by September .
Which programs lost all funding from the DOGE cuts?
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