Blumenthal & Colleagues Push for Independent Investigation After DOGE Employee Gained Access to Sensitive Education Department Data

[HARTFORD, CT] – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined colleagues in pushing the Acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to open an investigation after new information revealed that DOGE may have gained access to “two of [Federal Student Aid] FSA’s internal systems: Financial Management System (FMS) and Partner Connect,” in addition to sensitive borrower data.

Following DOGE’s “takeover” of ED, the senators opened an investigation into the matter. In response, ED disclosed that DOGE supported a review of FSA’s contracts, and to conduct this review, ED granted “one employee [] read-only access” to two of FSA’s internal systems, which both hold sensitive personal information for people on Title IV loan and grant programs.

ED also disclosed that it had since “revoked” that employee’s access to both of those systems. Alarmingly, ED did not indicate why the DOGE employee’s access had been revoked, whether this employee has retained access to any other ED databases, and what actions the Department has done to ensure that student loan borrowers’ sensitive information would not be released or misused.

“Because of the Department’s refusal to provide full and complete information, the full extent of DOGE’s role and influence at ED remains unknown,” wrote the senators. “This lack of clarity is not only frustrating for borrowers but also dangerous for the future of an agency that handles an extensive student loan portfolio and a range of federal aid programs for higher education.”

The senators are requesting that the ED OIG conduct a review to determine whether ED adhered to the Privacy Act, and also determine the impact of DOGE’s new plans to consolidate Americans’ personal information across government databases.

The letter was led by U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and also signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The full text of the letter is available here.

-30-