The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education announced the start of two negotiated rulemaking sessions to implement President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) and other administration priorities. The initial step involves a public virtual hearing to gather recommendations on regulatory changes for federal student loan and Pell Grants programs.
“The Department is taking swift action to implement President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” stated Acting Under Secretary James Bergeron. “The new law will force colleges and universities to focus more on post-graduation outcomes, facilitate more workforce pathways, make student loans simpler for borrowers, and ensure taxpayers are not forced to pick up the bill for mass student loan forgiveness. President Trump and Congressional Republicans made this groundbreaking bill a reality. Now it is time for us to deliver for the American people.”
To address federal student loan-related changes, the Department will form a Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee with five-day sessions scheduled in September and November. An Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) Committee will also be established to tackle issues like Workforce Pell and programmatic accountability, meeting in December and January.
As per Section 492 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, public involvement is required before publishing proposed rules under Title IV programs. Last week, preliminary guidance was issued by the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) regarding immediate changes from OBBB related to income-based repayment plans, repayment options for parents, loan limits for part-time students, as well as Biden-era borrower defense regulations.
A virtual public hearing is set for August 7, 2025. Written comments can be submitted through Regulations.gov until 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. For accommodations or assistance with submissions via Regulations.gov, contact regulationshelpdesk@gsa.gov or call 1-866-498-2945.
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