House Education and Workforce Committee Examines Department of Education Higher Ed Priorities and Proposals
Published May 18, 2026
By AACOM Government Relations
Higher Education OME Advocate
- On May 14, 2026, the House Education and Workforce Committee held an oversight hearing with Education Secretary Linda McMahon focused on the ED’s restructuring efforts, student aid administration and the potential impact of proposed changes on states, institutions and students.
- Members discussed fraud prevention efforts and proposed changes to federal student loan programs, including new graduate borrowing limits that lawmakers said could disproportionately affect students pursuing high-need healthcare professions such as medicine, nursing and social work. McMahon explained the policy as an effort to make institutions lower graduate tuition rather than allow unlimited borrowing, but lawmakers repeatedly argued that borrowers, not universities, would bear the immediate cost.
- Workforce development and career readiness programs were also a major focus of the hearing where Members highlighted the role of workforce-oriented education, community college partnerships and short-term training programs in addressing workforce shortages while also discussing concerns about preserving student support services and educational access for vulnerable student populations.
- View AACOM’s summary of the hearing.