Higher Ed Policy Roundup: Vol. 10 - Issue 28

This Week In Washington

While several races are still being finalized, Democrats have secured enough Congressional seats to gain control of the House and Senate for the incoming 120th Congress. The final partisan breakdown in the House and Senate is expected in the coming weeks, with leadership elections set to take place in the days ahead. Lawmakers will return to Capitol Hill next week, with just 20 scheduled days remaining on the legislative calendar.

The change in Congressional control will bring new leadership to both chambers and their committees. Leadership of the House Committee on Education and Workforce will be a key focus, with Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Jahana Hayes (D-CT) among those seeking the chairmanship. In the Senate, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is expected to chair the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP).

The American Federation of Teachers filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of 90,000 public servants who argue the Trump administration has prevented them from student debt relief through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Specifically, the teachers' union argues the Trump Administration has mismanaged a feature of the PSLF program known as buyback.

News You Can Use

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators published an analysis on how colleges and universities are responding to new federal borrowing limits for graduate and professional students under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The National Student Clearinghouse’s Preliminary Fall Enrollment Trends show that fall 2026 graduate enrollment is down 1.6%, driven by a 3.7% decline in master's program enrollment. However, enrollment among Black and Hispanic students is increasing.

Recent Legislation

There were no relevant student-aid related bills recently introduced for consideration by the 119th Congress (2025-26).