Strickland leads bipartisan letter on Impact Aid and Education Department cuts

On April 8, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland, D-Washington, sent a letter with 40 of her colleagues to the U.S. Department of Education expressing deep concern for the disbursement of Impact Aid. The letter addresses the impact on school districts and how the program fills funding gaps.

“We are seeking clarification on how this program will be affected by the recent mass Reduction in Force (RIF) at the U.S. Department of Education, signed by the President on March 20, 2025,” the letter stated. “The reality is that the President has no right to eliminate the Department of Education as he is attempting to do without Congressional approval. These major staffing changes and potential disruption in program funding will adversely impact the educational outcomes of all students.”

“We demand the immediate reversal of any Executive Orders that would halt the disbursement of Impact Aid funds through the Department of Education,” the lawmakers said in the letter.

“Students are our nation’s future leaders,” the lawmakers added. “It is the federal government’s job to ensure the needs of all students are met so that public education can remain a stable and accessible foundation for everyone to succeed, no matter their background or where they live.”

Strickland serves on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She is whip of the New Democrat Coalition, secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus and is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress.