Both of Maine’s U.S. House representatives, Democrats Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden, joined 150 members of Congress in a letter this week demanding that the Trump administration release $7 billion in withheld education funds, including $26 million for Maine schools.

The funding was expected to be disbursed July 1, but the Maine Department of Education issued a priority notice to districts informing them that several programs were still under review by the federal government and that the funding could be delayed until as late as September.

The impacted programs are part of federal Title funding and include support for teacher training, language instruction for English learners, migrant education and student support.

In the Thursday letter, addressed to Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, the Democratic lawmakers condemned the “illegal” withholding of funds, requested answers from the administration on its review process and demanded that the funding be released immediately.

“There is no legitimate reason why any review of these programs should prevent the Administration from fulfilling its responsibility to the American people on time,” the letter concludes. “No more excuses — follow the law and release the funding meant for our schools, teachers, and families.”

The money represents at least 10% of federal K-12 funding in each state, Pingree said in an emailed statement Friday.

“This is not a delay; this is theft of taxpayer dollars that our schools desperately need to keep teachers in classrooms, provide after-school programs, train educators, serve English learners and migrant students, and deliver academic support for our most vulnerable children,” she said.

Pingree called the freeze a “brazen violation of the law” and described it as part of the Trump administration’s broader assault on public education.

The 1st District Democrat said that in addition to signing the letter, she’s working with colleagues and the House Appropriations Committee to get the funding quickly restored. The delay will leave Maine schools unprepared for the start of the school year, Pingree said, and some schools have already been forced to lay off employees who are supported by federal programs.

“Public schools are already stretched thin — class sizes have grown, teachers remain overworked and underpaid, and our students need every available resource to succeed,” Pingree said.

Golden, who represents Maine’s 2nd District, also signed the letter, but his office did not return a request for comment Friday afternoon.