Senator Chuck Schumer is speaking out against a Department of Education policy that could eliminate scholarship dollars for thousands of “Say Yes” students in Syracuse and elsewhere.

Schumer says the policy prohibiting FAFSA data from going to some private organizations that give scholarships is setting up "roadblocks."

He says students have had to follow a new process and submit paperwork.

Schumer says providers like "Say Yes" should be able to access the information through FAFSA to ensure students receive scholarships on-time.

The president of Onondaga Community College says some students "have not yet been able to access their funding for this semester," a situation that can be stressful.  

"I know what it's like to take exams when you're not under stress, right? So you don't want that impeding their progress,” says Dr. Casey Crabill, the college’s president. “So you don't want students being held up unnecessarily by things that really should go quite smoothly."

According to Schumer, since 2009 "Say Yes" has helped 7,800 New York students.