Late yesterday, the White House Office of Management and Budget directed federal agencies to “temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all federal financial assistance” other than for Social Security, Medicare and other programs providing direct aid to individuals. The full memo is available here. The memo requires all Federal agencies to review all Federal financial assistance programs to ensure they are consistent with the President’s policies and requirements.
The pause is effective this evening, Tuesday, January 28, at 5:00 pm. As of now, it is unclear how long the pause will remain in place or whether this has any impact on Title IV federal financial aid programs. Please be assured that the AACS Federal Government Relations team is working diligently to find answers. This announcement has created considerable confusion both on Capitol Hill and throughout the agencies. Please remember that this is a temporary pause. Agencies must report to OMB detailed information on any programs, projects or activities subject to the pause no later than February 10, 2025. As soon as more information is available, AACS will distribute it to you as quickly as possible. | 
