Federal Issues

U.S. Senate HELP Committee

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is tasked with educational policy, including policy impacting higher education.

Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act—which is the umbrella legislation governing all federal educational programs including student aid—is currently being debated.  U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander has released three white papers for comment and feedback. The papers seek input on issues related to accreditation, risk sharing and consumer information. 

Other relevant information on higher education policy, including archived Committee hearings can also be found on the Senate HELP Committee website.

U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee

The House Education and the Workforce Committee has jurisdiction over policy issues impacting higher education and has released a whitepaper entitled "Strengthening America's Higher Education System" which outlines various issues relating to reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.