Lawmakers Urge Education Department to Add Nursing to List of Professional Programs
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is calling on the Education Department to include nursing in its list of professional programs, following a recent decision that omitted the field from a new agency definition. The Trump administration’s list of professional programs, which includes fields like medicine, law, and theology, would allow students to borrow larger amounts of federal loans to pursue graduate degrees.
The current proposal would cap loans for graduate programs deemed professional at $200,000 in total and $50,000 per year, while other graduate programs would be capped at $100,000 in total and $20,500 per year. Lawmakers argue that this would make it difficult for students to pay for expensive but high-demand nursing programs, such as those for nurse anesthetists.
Impact on Nursing Students and Programs
According to lawmakers, programs for certified nurse anesthetists can cost over $200,000, but these programs often pay off and supply a critical workforce that provides anesthesia to rural and underserved communities. The annual cap of $20,500 would also pinch students in year-round nurse practitioner programs, which charge for three terms a year and often cost more than $20,500 per year.
The Education Department has stated that 95% of nursing students are studying in programs that won’t be affected by the new caps. However, lawmakers and industry groups argue that excluding nursing from the list of professional programs would require students to take out riskier private loans or make tuition unaffordable.
Bipartisan Support for Inclusion of Nursing
A letter signed by over 140 lawmakers, including 12 Republicans, was sent to the Education Department, urging the inclusion of nursing in the list of professional programs. The letter was led by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., and Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., leaders of the Senate and House nursing caucuses.
Another Democrat, Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, also sent a similar letter, stating that excluding nurses would undermine the healthcare and education systems, weaken the workforce, and close doors for low-income, first-generation, and immigrant students.
The Trump administration has stated that new loan caps are needed to pressure colleges to reduce tuition prices. However, lawmakers and industry groups argue that the current proposal would have unintended consequences for nursing students and programs.
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