House Education Committee Tackles DEI, Workforce and Federal Reform
Published July 27, 2026
By AACOM Government Relations
Federal Policy
- On July 14, 2026, the House Committee on Education and Workforce held a hearing, “Training Activists, Not Physicians: The Impact of DEI on Medical Schools,” examining diversity, equity and inclusion in medical school admissions, curricula and clinical training.
- Republican members questioned whether DEI initiatives have undermined merit-based admissions and evidence-based medical education, while Democratic members and witnesses emphasized that instruction on social determinants of health, cultural competency and health disparities is essential to preparing physicians to care for diverse patient populations.
- The hearing also addressed physician shortages, graduate student loan limits and the need to sustain federal biomedical research funding. For more information, view AACOM’s hearing summary.
- On July 15, 2026, the Committee held a separate markup and advanced Chairman Tim Walberg’s (R-MI) Less Bureaucracy, Better Education package, which would transfer certain Department of Education responsibilities to other federal agencies.
- The package addresses higher education, workforce development, student aid, foreign medical accreditation, tribal education and federal oversight responsibilities, while focusing on student outcomes and taxpayers.