Education Department's oversight body to scrutinize Doge's access to confidential information
The Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) is under investigation by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) due to potential access to sensitive data by DOGE employees. The investigation, which will be conducted in coordination with the Government Accountability Office, will focus on the Department's processes for managing access to several sensitive data systems, including the National Student Loan Data Systems.
The investigation was prompted by a letter from Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and her colleagues, requesting a probe of the Department of Government Efficiency's alleged "infiltration" of the Education Department's Federal Student Aid office. This move comes after the Department of Education refused to comply with a months-long congressional investigation led by Sen. Warren.
The acting inspector general plans to look into the Department's processes for managing access to sensitive data systems. Persons appointed by the OIG of the Department of Education to investigate the department's sensitive data systems are typically special agents or auditors within the OIG who have expertise in cybersecurity and data privacy.
Sensitive data that could be vulnerable includes borrowers' social security numbers and personal information within the National Student Loan Data Systems. Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Luján has expressed concern about the protection of student loan borrowers' sensitive data and the potential for it to fall into the wrong hands.
The Education Department's acting Office of Inspector General will review the data. The timeline for when the investigation will begin and when a final report will be issued is not immediately available.
The OIG's role is to identify fraud, waste, abuse, and criminal activity within the department. The investigation is part of Sen. Warren's Save Our Schools campaign, launched in April, which aims to investigate the Department of Education closure and its staffing reductions, including the reduction of hundreds of FSA employees. Warren previously stated that staffing cuts to the agency would have dire consequences on students interested in obtaining higher education.
The department, under the leadership of Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, has made several changes since McMahon was sworn in, including conducting an audit of the agency by DOGE. Warren has been investigating the Trump administration's changes at federal agencies, including the Education Department and Social Security Administration.
At this time, the department has not yet provided a statement regarding the investigation. However, the OIG's probe will aim to ensure the protection of sensitive data and maintain the integrity of the Education Department's operations.
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