A senior Biden administration official may have misled Congress about a half-trillion-dollar loss in a major federal program, and now House leaders are taking action.
U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., sent a letter to Education Under Secretary James Kvaal to “set the record straight after he misled the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development during its hearing on May 24, 2023,” the Committee reports.
Committee leaders allege the Biden administration misled Congress about the financial state of the federal student loan program, which was at the center of a dispute over a White House scheme to forgive loans held largely by affluent Biden supporters. (RELATED: Supreme Court Announces Decision On Student Loan Forgiveness Plan)
“Under Secretary Kvaal insisted that the Department of Education provided Chairwoman Foxx an unredacted copy of the final valuation report showing the student loan program was nearly half a trillion dollars in the red before the Biden administration took office,” the Committee reports.
But despite Kvaal's repeated assertions, the department never turned that information over to the Committee.
In the letter, Foxx writes: “Despite executing a ‘False Statements Certification' wherein you acknowledged that providing materially false information to a committee or subcommittee is a crime … your answers to my questions at the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development hearing on May 24, 2023, may include false statements.”
“You unequivocally stated three times that the Department had provided an unredacted final copy of the final valuation report prepared by FI Consulting, in spite of my repeated insistence that your statements were inaccurate,” the letter continues.
“Let me be crystal clear: I have never received the final unredacted copy of the report and its accompanying documents, contrary to your assertions on May 24,” Foxx pointedly states. (RELATED: Why Biden's Student Loan Giveaway Was Always Destined To Fail)
“Finally, I note that in my question-and-answer exchange with you at our May 24, 2023, hearing of the Subcommittee, I recounted the long history of my efforts to obtain all documents related to the valuation of the student loan portfolio, including unredacted reports….” Foxx continues.
“I find that lack of responsiveness to Congress patently offensive, particularly in light of the Department's responsiveness to other parties,” Foxx concludes.
The issue may lead to charges of lying to Congress.
While criminal prosecutions over lying to Congress are relatively rare, they do occur.
Past White House officials and others, such as Reagan national security adviser John Poindexter and Major League Baseball pitcher Roger Clemens, have been criminally charged with lying to Congress, but few have been sentenced to prison.
The most recent case is that of Michael Cohen, former attorney to President Donald Trump, who pleaded guilty to lying to Congress and was fined $50,000.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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This administration has done nothing but lie to congress and the American people for 2 1/2 years now, so why would anyone think they would all of a sudden start speaking the truth?
Absolutely, Gus. The whole administration is corrupt. I was never ashamed of my country until Mr. Biden was elected. We are a disgrace and shame on us if we dont change it and put some people i n jail soon.
So this committee will do what, shake a finger at the liars and thieves and tell them it best not happen again?
Oh no, don’t you think that is a little bit rash. Their little feelings may get hurt. Poor little babies. LOL
The whole Biden Admin lies day 1
It’s time to start sending these swamp liars to prison!!