Inside Higher Ed: How the Loan Cap Committee Reached Consensus

The Department of Education and its rule-making committee tasked with determining how to implement Congress’s latest loan caps reached consensus Thursday, but that doesn’t mean everyone involved was happy with the results—or that the policy proposal is guaranteed to be legally sound, some higher education experts say.

The key focus of the regulations, which should be published to the Federal Register by early next year, was to determine which degree programs should be eligible for which level of loans.

Read the full article here.

Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking for Higher Education Reaches Consensus

This week the Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee concluded its negotiated rulemaking session to address changes to the Higher Education Act included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, reaching consensus on the entire package of 17 proposals by the Department of Education.

The OBBBA set new student loan caps for graduate students, with a higher cap for those pursuing a professional degree. Graduate students would be limited to an up to $100,000 lifetime cap while professional students would be limited to an up to $200,000 lifetime cap. Significant time was spent on ED’s proposal regarding the definition of what constitutes a professional degree. Ultimately, consensus was reached on a list of professional programs that was significantly less expansive than a proposal put forward by Alex Holt, the committee member representing taxpayers and the public interest, which would have included more health professions programs. Holt’s proposal appeared to gain support from all committee members except the Department of Education. Ultimately, negotiators felt reaching consensus was best in order to lock in other concessions they had won from the Department, as without consensus the Department would be free to write its own proposal to be released for public comment.

ASAHP and other organizations called for the Department of Education to classify all professions under CIP Code 51 — Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, and related codes as “professional degrees”, though the committee agreed to a narrower definition. In a letter to the Department and RISE Committee members, ASAHP and other organizations expressed how excluding programs within CIP Code 51 would fragment financial aid eligibility, exacerbate existing shortages, limit access to education for students seeking to serve in critical health roles, and undermine the interprofessional foundation.

Coverage from Inside Higher Ed may be accessed here.

ASAHP Joins Letter to the Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on Student Loan Caps

ASAHP was one of 28 organizations which joined a letter to the Department of Education’s Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee as it continues its work in Session 2 of negotiated rulemaking to implement the student financial aid provisions of Public Law 119–21, commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The OBBBA set new student loan caps for graduate students, with a higher cap for those pursuing a professional degree. ASAHP and the organizations recommend that the Department:

1. Classify all professions under CIP Code 51 — Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, and related codes as “professional degrees.”

2. Define “professional degree” as any degree leading to a professional credential required for entry into practice in that field.

3. Define “professional degree” based on accreditation, curriculum, and alignment with recognized health profession standards, not program length or credit hours. 

4. Recognize the critical workforce impact of any exclusion of health professions degrees, which would disproportionately harm communities in rural and underserved areas.

The letter may be accessed here.

Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking for Higher Education

The Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee will hold its second session November 3-7 from 9am to noon Eastern and 1pm to 4pm Eastern. The committee’s first session was held September 29-October 3. The five-day in person negotiated rulemaking session will address changes to the Higher Education Act included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. These include the phase out of graduate and professional PLUS loans, the establishment of new annual loan limits for graduate and professional students and parent borrowers, the simplification of student loan repayment plans, institutional flexibility to apply lower annual limits for borrowers for selected programs of study, modifications to loan rehabilitation, and more. More details may be accessed here.  Registration for the session is here.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act set new student loan caps for graduate students, with a higher cap for those pursuing a professional degree. ASAHP and other organizations has reccommended that the Department:

1. Classify all professions under CIP Code 51 — Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, and related codes as “professional degrees.”

2. Define “professional degree” as any degree leading to a professional credential required for entry into practice in that field.

3. Define “professional degree” based on accreditation, curriculum, and alignment with recognized health profession standards, not program length or credit hours. 

4. Recognize the critical workforce impact of any exclusion of health professions degrees, which would disproportionately harm communities in rural and underserved areas.

ASAHP Joins Joint Letter to the Department of Education Regarding Student Loan Repayment

ASAHP joined other organizations in a letter to the Department of Education expressing concern that that the regulatory framework for loan repayment programs under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) may not adequately reflect the realities of the health professions workforce. The organizations urge the Department to ensure that the health professions workforce is considered a single, integrated workforce when determining loan eligibility criteria. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act set new student loan caps for graduate students, with a higher cap for those pursuing a professional degree.

The letter may be accessed here.

ASAHP Joins ACE Letter to Congressional Leadership on Funding Safeguards

ASAHP joined dozens of other organizations in a ACE-led letter to Congressional leadership and appropriators regarding appropriations safeguards, as Congress considers FY 26 funding. The letter urges Congress to ensure that all funds allocated for FY 2026 be spent by the administration as intended, which may require detailed legislative language and other procedural safeguards.

The letter may be accessed here.

New America Webinar on How Indirect Cost Reform Will Affect University-Industry R&D Partnerships

On September 22 from 2:30-3:30pm Eastern, New America will hold a webinar titled, “ How Indirect Cost Reform Will Affect University-Industry R&D Partnerships”. The webinar will examine the concern about indirect costs and the Financial Accountability in Research (FAIR) model, a proposed approach to reform indirect cost governance and improve transparency, consistency, and fairness in calculating and covering expenses.

More details may be accessed here.

House Subcommittee Advances HRSA Title VII Reauthorization Legislation

On Wednesday, the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health advanced reauthorizations of HRSA Title VII and Title VIII workforce development programs. In the bill, Title VII health professions education workforce development programs would be reauthorized through FY 2030.

More details are here, and the Subcommittee’s Title VII bill is here.

House Committee Advances FY 26 Labor-HHS Funding Bill

In a mark up which concluded early Wednesday morning, the House Appropriations Committee advanced the FY 26 Labor-HHS bill 35-28 in a party-line vote. According to Republicans, the draft fiscal spending bill proposes a 7% cut in discretionary spending below the FY25 enacted level, while Democrats note it is a 11% cut. The bill includes $108 billion for HHS, a roughly $7 billion cut from FY 25 levels., and includes $67 billion for the Department of Education, a roughly $12 billion cut from FY 25 levels. Democrats strongly opposed the bill. Subcommittee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) remarked that Republicans know this bill will not pass on the floor due to the size and scope of the proposed cuts. In opening remarks, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD-05) shared, “This bill, whatever we do, will be largely dictated by what the Senate can do.” Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL-04) noted, “With the President’s leadership, we have taken a critical look at every program and in several cases had to make hard decisions on some ‘nice to have’ programs.” More details may be accessed here, here, and here.

House Appropriations Subcommittee to Mark Up FY 26 Labor-HHS Bill

Today at 5pm Eastern, the House Appropriation Committee’s Labor-HHS Subcommittee will mark up the FY 26 Labor-HHS appropriations bill.

According to the Committee, the Labor-HHS bill provides, “a total discretionary allocation of $184.5 billion, which is $13.7 billion (7%) below the Fiscal Year 2025 enacted level.” The bill provides a discretionary total of $108 billion to the Department of Health and Human Services, which is $7 billion (6%) below the FY25 enacted level. The Committee would provide a total of $7.1 billion for HRSA, a decrease of $866 million below the FY 2025 level. This recommendation would include $1.4 billion for Health Workforce training, a decrease of $37 million below the FY 2025 level. The bill would provide a total of $7.1 billion for HRSA, $866 million below the FY 2025 level. The bill would provide $1.4 billion for Health Workforce training, a decrease of $37 million below the FY 2025 level.

The bill provides a discretionary total of $67 billion to the Department of Education, which is $12 billion (15%) below the FY25 enacted level. The bill maintains funding for Pell Grants at the discretionary maximum award level of $6,335, which when combined with mandatory funding under current law would continue to support a total maximum award of $7,395, which is level funding.

A Full Committee markup is expected as soon as next week.

The Subcommittee markup may be viewed here. The bill and Republican Committee summary may be found here. Bill summaries from the Committee Democrats may be found here and here.

House Subcommittee to Hold Hearing on Examining Opportunities to Advance American Health Care through the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technologies

On Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at 10:15 am Eastern, the House Energy &. Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health, Chaired by Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) will hold a hearing entitled “Examining Opportunities to Advance American Health Care through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Technologies.”

A hearing memo from the Subcommittee may be accessed here. The hearing may be viewed here.

ASAHP Joins Joint Comments to the Department of Education Regarding Student Loan Caps

ASAHP and 39 other organizations submitted joint comments to the Department of Education’s (ED) Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee as they begin their work on the negotiated rulemaking to implement the student financial aid provisions under Public Law 119–21, commonly referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The organizations urged that ED should adopt a clear and inclusive regulatory definition of “professional degree programs” that encompasses any master’s or doctoral degree education generally required for licensure or certification in health professions. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act set new student loan caps for graduate students, with a higher cap for those pursuing a professional degree.

The comments may be accessed here.

The Chronicle of Higher Education Hosts Four-Part Fall Webinar Series on the Trump Administration and Higher Education

The Chronicle of Higher Education is hosting a four-part Fall webinar series titled, “Trump and Higher Ed: Understanding the Latest”. Webinars will be held September, October, November, and December.

A registration link and more information may be accessed here.

ASAHP Joins Joint Letter Urging Congress to Reauthorize HRSA Title VII Health Professions Programs

ASAHP and 66 other organizations urged Congress to swiftly consider and advance legislation that would reauthorize the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Title VII health professions and Title VIII nursing workforce development programs, which are set to expire at the end of fiscal year 2025 (September 30, 2025).

The joint letter to Congressional Committee leaders may be accessed here.

Department of Education Publishes Proposed Rule On Public Service Loan Forgiveness with 30 Day Comment Period

On Friday, the Department of Education issued its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to amend the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to exclude organizations that engage in activities that are illegal from being qualifying employers. The NPRM was published in the Federal Register on August 18 and has a 30-day comment period. Comments can be submitted through regulations.gov. ED expects to finalize the rule by November 1, 2025, so it can go into effect July 1, 2026.