OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The US Department of Education is responding to a letter from Republican Senator Tom Coburn that calls for the department to cancel a three-day conference on federal student aid scheduled for December in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The department says in an email to The Associated Press that the conference is not for employees — but for financial aid officials and is intended to help them provide financial assistance to college students. The department estimates the cost at $970,000.
Coburn called for cancellation of the conference in a letter to Education Secretary Arne Duncan in light of budget cuts known as sequestration. The letter also asks for the costs of all conferences sponsored by the department through the end of the year.
A department spokesman says the information will be provided.