News & Impact/Advocacy Update/

Bipartisan Coalition of Senators Urge Department of Education to Launch Talent Search and EOC Competitions

February 20, 2026 — by Kimberly Jones

Yesterday, a bipartisan coalition of 33 U.S. Senators – led by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) – sent this letter urging the Secretary of Education to release the final applications by March 1 to ensure that grant results are released by June 30, 2026, in accordance with the recently passed FY 2026 appropriations law.

We know that the entire community is highly concerned about the fact that the Department of Education has not yet released the final notice inviting applications for the FY 2026 Talent Search and EOC grant competitions. Your legislators share that concern. Yesterday, a bipartisan coalition of 33 U.S. Senators – led by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) – sent this letter urging the Secretary of Education to release the final applications by March 1 to ensure that grant results are released by June 30, 2026, in accordance with the recently passed FY 2026 appropriations law.

Joining Merkley, Collins, and Warnock in signing the bipartisan letter were U.S. Senators Angela D. Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), James Lankford (R-OK), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jim Risch (R-ID), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

TRIO advocates represented by these Senators are strongly encouraged to reach out to their offices right away to thank them for their ardent support of TRIO. Advocates can reach any Senate office by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. They can also email the staffers of these Senators using the information here. Please email COE Vice President for Public Policy Diane Shust at [email protected] or COE Public Policy Associate Christian Bell at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Next week, we will reinforce the need to issue the Talent Search and EOC grant applications right away through our community’s Day of Action on Tuesday, February 24. 

Thank you for your continued support of all TRIO students and programs.

Get in Touch

Questions? Contact COE Vice President for Public Policy Diane Shust.

Diane Shust

Vice President, Public Policy [email protected]

Christian Bell

Public Policy Associate
[email protected]

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