The "No More D.C. Waste Act" ensures that federal funds allocated to the District of Columbia for resident tuition support are used within the fiscal year they are appropriated and requires an annual report on the use of these funds.
Mike Flood
Representative
NE-1
The "No More D.C. Waste Act" ensures that federal funds allocated to the District of Columbia for resident tuition support are used within the fiscal year they are appropriated. It mandates that unspent funds do not remain available indefinitely. Additionally, it requires the District of Columbia's Chief Financial Officer to submit an annual report to Congress detailing the use of these federal payments, including the number of students assisted, the average aid amount, and any unspent funds.
D.C. Tuition Funds Get a Hard Deadline: 'No More D.C. Waste Act' Ends Carryover of Unspent Money
The "No More D.C. Waste Act" changes the rules for how D.C. handles federal money meant for resident tuition support. The core change? Any funds not spent by the end of the fiscal year are gone – no more rolling them over. This applies to funds appropriated for fiscal year 2016 and onward, impacting both public and private school programs under the D.C. College Access Act of 1999 (SEC. 2). The bill specifically repeals the old "Such funds shall remain available until expended" clause, meaning it's use-it-or-lose-it for these education dollars.
Spending on the Clock
This act essentially puts a tighter leash on how D.C. spends federal tuition support. Previously, unspent funds could be carried forward. Now, if the money isn't used within the fiscal year it's allocated, it's returned. Think of it like a gift card with a strict expiration date – if you don't use the balance by the deadline, you're out of luck. For a D.C. student counting on tuition assistance, this could mean that if funds aren't allocated efficiently, there might be less available overall.
Show Us the Money
To keep things transparent, the "No More D.C. Waste Act" also requires D.C.'s Chief Financial Officer to send an annual report to Congress (SEC. 3). This report, due within 60 days after the end of each fiscal year, has to detail:
- How many students received tuition payments.
- The average amount of financial help each student got.
- Exactly how much of the federal payment wasn't spent by the end of the year.
This reporting requirement adds a layer of accountability. For example, if a large amount of money is consistently left unspent, Congress might question whether the allocated amount is appropriate or if D.C. needs to improve its distribution process. It's like having to show your receipts to prove you're using the funds as intended.
The Bottom Line
This act aims for greater financial accountability in how D.C. uses federal tuition support funds. While that sounds good on paper, the real-world impact will depend on how efficiently D.C. manages to allocate these funds each year. The increased transparency is a plus, but the 'use it or lose it' provision could create pressure to spend quickly, potentially leading to less strategic allocation of resources. This could affect students, administrators, and anyone involved in the D.C. tuition support system.