WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Republican Leader of the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Burgess Owens (R-UT) joined Republican Leader of the Education and Labor Committee Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Republican Leader of the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee Greg Murphy (R-NC) on a letter to the Comptroller General Gene Dodaro. The letter requests a Government Accountability Office review of how the Department of Education administers grants and to what extent secretarial priorities inform this allocation of taxpayer dollars.

In the letter, the Members write: “There is little information publicly and readily available on these priorities, such as how often priorities are published, how often the priorities are used in grant announcements, and how often the use of priorities results in shifting awards to various grantees…Therefore, we request that the Government Accountability Office conduct a review of the use of secretary priorities, going back at least 15 years to ensure the review captures multiple administrations of both parties.” The Members continue: “Congress requires this information to fully understand how the programs are being implemented and to ensure taxpayer dollars are utilized as Congress intended.”

Read the full letter to Comptroller General Dodaro here.

###