Van Hollen, Alsobrooks Urge Trump Administration to Release Withheld Federal Funding for Senior Jobs Programs in Maryland

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks (both D-Md.) urged the Trump Administration to immediately release federal funds that have been withheld from Maryland-based grantees of the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), a U.S. Department of Labor program that provides community service and work-based job training resources for low-income and unemployed older Americans. In a letter to U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the lawmakers expressed concern over the Administration’s continued withholding of critical guidance and funding, which is threatening the livelihoods of older Marylanders and putting them at risk of food, housing, and financial insecurity.

“For nearly six decades, SCSEP has been a lifeline for low-income older adults by providing them with meaningful employment training and opportunities to remain active in their communities. In Maryland, this program plays a vital role in supporting hundreds of older residents who depend on SCSEP not just for skills development, but also for their financial survival. These individuals rely on their SCSEP earnings to afford food, maintain their homes, and manage essential health expenses,” the Senators wrote.

 

“Currently, we are seeing bipartisan, Congressionally appropriated SCSEP funds go undistributed to grantees including in Maryland, where participants have already been furloughed due to this funding delay. The consequences are significant: not only have these older adults lost their source of income, but they are also being deprived of critical training time necessary for their reentry into the workforce,” they continued.

“Withholding funding already appropriated by Congress is not only illegal but also compromises the Department’s responsibility to serve those most in need, particularly older Americans striving for stability and purpose through employment. We urge the Department to release the SCSEP funds without further delay,” they concluded.

A copy of the letter is available here and below.

 

Dear Secretary Chavez-DeRemer:

 

We write to express our deep concern regarding the Department of Labor’s delay in the timely release of the Senior Community Service Employment Program’s (SCSEP) Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) which provides planning instructions and allotments for state, territorial, and national grantees. While the states have received a separate TEGL, the national grantees have not to date.

 

For nearly six decades, SCSEP has been a lifeline for low-income older adults by providing them with meaningful employment training and opportunities to remain active in their communities. In Maryland, this program plays a vital role in supporting hundreds of older residents who depend on SCSEP not just for skills development, but also for their financial survival. These individuals rely on their SCSEP earnings to afford food, maintain their homes, and manage essential health expenses.

 

Currently, we are seeing bipartisan, Congressionally appropriated SCSEP funds go undistributed to grantees including in Maryland, where participants have already been furloughed due to this funding delay. The consequences are significant: not only have these older adults lost their source of income, but they are also being deprived of critical training time necessary for their reentry into the workforce.

 

Withholding funding already appropriated by Congress is not only illegal but also compromises the Department’s responsibility to serve those most in need, particularly older Americans striving for stability and purpose through employment.

 

We urge the Department to release the SCSEP funds without further delay. Prompt action is essential to prevent additional harm to participants, grantees, and the communities they serve.

 

We welcome the opportunity to speak with you soon about how to resolve this issue and ensure continued support for Maryland’s older workers.

 

Sincerely,