By Sam Daniel

WASHINGTON D.C. - Georgia Rep. Lucy McBath took to the House floor Tuesday to call on President Donald Trump and the U.S. Department of Education to release $7 billion in withheld federal funding for schools. About $200 million of the withheld funds would go to Georgia schools.

Federal education funds withheld

The backstory:

The department sent a notice to states on June 30 that the Department of Education was withholding the funds. The funds were set to be released on July 1.

"The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities," Education Department officials wrote in the notice, which was obtained by The Associated Press.

• The Associated Press reported the funds are divided across several programs:$2 billion in grants for teachers' professional development and efforts to reduce class size$1.3 billion for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which fund after-school and summer learning programs$1 billion for academic enrichment grants$890 million for students who are learning English$376 million to educate the children of migrant workers$715 million to teach adults how to read

McBath presses Trump Administration

What they're saying:

McBath said the administration is holding tax dollars hostage. She said the legislature approved the funds, and the executive branch cannot hold the funds "hostage."

"Secretary McMahon must follow the law," she said. "They chose to wait until the last second to notify states."

"The Trump Administration's failure to release this funding on time is disrupting school and district planning," McBath said. "The failure to release this funding on time is disrupting school and district planning, jeopardizing the education of millions of students."  

"Families have been promised the right to send their schools to good public schools regardless of how much money the make, where they live or their child's disability. But, the careless actions of Secretary McMann and the Trump administration continue to threaten that promise," she said.

Effects already felt?

Dig deeper:

McBath said the withholding of funds is also causing layoffs in education districts. FOX 5 could not independently verify this and reached out to multiple metro Atlanta school districts to ask if that was true. The districts have not replied by the writing of this article.

Georgians react to lack of education funds

What they're saying:

On Monday, Georgia lawmakers, educators and youth advocates gathered at the State Capitol to call for the release of the funds.

The group at the State Capitol said this move will hurt children. 

The other side:

Republican state School Superintendent Richard Woods, in a written statement last week, also called on the federal government to release the funds.

Homer Republican Rep. Chris Erwin, who chairs the House Education Committee, said lawmakers are closely monitoring the situation here at home as they push for a swift resolution in Washington.

"I think what we have to do is pay attention to the impact it is going to have and if school kicks off, and we need a special session, and that's when it would be time to call it, after we realize the impact it's having, and it's going to affect them," Erwin explained.