House Republicans are blasting the Biden administration for working to “federalize” elections by allowing federal work-study funds to support President Joe Biden‘s 2024 campaign, calling on the Education Department to rescind its decision.
House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil (R-WI), House Education and Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), elections subcommittee Chairwoman Laurel Lee (R-FL), and Education Committee Vice Chairwoman Mary Miller (R-IL) sent a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on Tuesday stating they were “deeply troubled” about the use of work-study funds to fund campaign efforts for the 2024 cycle.
“For Americans to have confidence not only in their elections but also in their federal government, taxpayer dollars should not be used for political ends like get-out-the-vote activities or targeted voter registration drives,” the members wrote. “As we approach a presidential election this November, we must take steps to bolster voters’ confidence in our election systems and processes so they can have faith in the results.”
“Unfortunately, the Department’s plan to use FWS funds to support the Administration’s campaign efforts seems designed to heighten voters’ already existing distrust in the system in a time when we can least afford it,” the lawmakers continued.
A letter from the Department of Education specified four areas where Federal Work-Study funds can be used: get-out-the-vote activities, voter registration, providing voter assistance at a polling place or voter hotline, or serving as a poll worker. However, Republicans said the department should have never moved forward with the letter.
“When taxpayer dollars are solely responsible for students engaging in these activities in the face of the Administration’s ongoing reelection campaign, the appearance of impropriety should have been more than enough for the Department not to move forward,” the letter stated.
The GOP lawmakers wrote that a government should not use public funds to help a current administration get reelected, though nothing in the work-study guidelines limits student activities to Democrats.
“Americans should have serious concerns about the even-handedness of election administration in these circumstances,” the letter reads. “As such, the Committees urge the Administration to retract its recent letter allowing taxpayer dollars to fund get-out-the-vote activities.”
The lawmakers are requesting clarifications on the areas applicable to using federal work-study funds, as well as all internal memos and reports related to the Education Department’s decision to issue the letter, by March 26.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The letter to Cardona is the latest step taken by Republicans on the House Administration Committee to provide oversight on election integrity. In January, House Republicans called on the District of Columbia Board of Elections to address a breach of a voter database in October last year, alleging the board failed to notify voters that personal information such as partial Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers may have been affected.
The historically bipartisan committee recently came under fire after being accused of “undercutting voter rights” by using the Republican majority to alter election laws ahead of the 2024 election to boost former President Donald Trump.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Department of Education for comment.