In this hub, TICAS will offer analyses on how House and Senate reconciliation proposals would cause significant and lasting damage to the country’s most effective economic mobility tool, the higher education system. While all sides agree the system needs serious reform, these proposals are ill-conceived, harmful to working families, and, in many cases, would be impossible to actually implement. We strongly urge members of Congress to reject these proposals and instead negotiate reforms through regular order.
TICAS updated this page regularly as we analyzed the potential impact of congressional proposals on students and borrowers to continue our longstanding advocacy for improvements to our nation’s higher education system. To view our analyses on the final reconciliation law, click here. To stay up-to-date on TICAS’ work, sign up for our email list here.
What’s at Stake in Reconciliation
SLASHING PELL GRANTS
The House proposal restricts access to Pell Grants for working students, making it harder for people with low incomes to cover costs and finish their programs.
Analysis: House Republicans Propose Slashing Pell Grants
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NCAN: House Proposes $1,500 Cut to Max Pell for Students Taking 12 Credits
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Third Way: The Version of Short-Term Pell Congress Can’t Afford to Pass
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When the Pell Grant Program Faces a Funding Gap, Students Pay the Price. Here’s How Congress Can Fix It.
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EdTrust: More Credits, Less Aid: A Formula for Making College Unaffordable
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CAP: Congressional Republicans’ Proposed Budget Reconciliation Bill Imperils 4.4 Million Pell Grant Recipients
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MAKING LOAN REPAYMENT MORE EXPENSIVE
The House bill requires higher monthly payments for the lowest-income borrowers, extends the maximum repayment term to 30 years, and eliminates hardship protections.
A Bad “RAP”: Everything Wrong with House Republicans’ Poorly Designed “Repayment Assistance Plan”
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How House Republicans’ Student Loan Repayment Plan Would Disproportionately Harm Low-Income Borrowers
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Income-Driven Repayment 101: IDR Was Designed to Protect Borrowers From a Lifetime of Debt
Learn MoreRESTRICTING ACCESS TO AID
The House reconciliation bill eliminates interest subsidies for low-and middle-income students, thereby making borrowing more expensive.
House Republican Proposal to Eliminate Subsidized Student Loans Would Spike College Costs for Low-Income Students
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New America: The Median Cost of Attendance Plan: A Recipe for Student Aid Chaos
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The Century Foundation: Private Lenders Would Cash In on Congress’s Student Loan Changes
Learn MoreELIMINATING BORROWER PROTECTIONS
The House proposal weakens or removes protections for students against misrepresentation and low-quality, high-cost programs, as well as rules guarding student veterans against aggressive recruitment by fraudulent institutions.
House Education Bill Would Weaken Borrower Protections, Leave Students Vulnerable to Predatory and Low-Quality Institutions
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Resources on Borrower Defense: An Essential Protection for Defrauded Student Borrowers
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Student Protections and the Value of a Gainful Employment Rule
Learn MoreCUTTING HEALTH AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS
We're monitoring reconciliation proposals outside of the Education Committee's jurisdiction to ensure that students can meet their basic needs with essential programs like SNAP and Medicaid.
Cuts to Health & Nutrition Programs Will Harm Millions of Americans & Imperil Higher Ed Affordability for a Generation of Students
Learn MoreStatement: Deep Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP will Increase Poverty and Reduce Higher Education Access Nationwide
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TICAS Op-Ed: A Looming Crisis for Public Colleges
Learn MoreNew America: The House Reconciliation Bill Will Harm Student Parents
Learn MoreSenate Agriculture and Finance Reconciliation Proposal Will Exacerbate Basic Needs Insecurity and Strain State Budgets
Learn MoreMeet Our Experts
Ellie Bruecker, Ph.D.
Senior Director of ResearchDr. Ellie Bruecker is our Senior Director of Research, leading the Research Team in conducting high-quality data analysis and student-centered research. Ellie is a passionate advocate for equity in higher education and is committed to bridging the gap between research and policy change.
Tanya I. Garcia, Ph.D.
Vice PresidentAs VP at TICAS, Tanya is responsible for advancing our state policy agenda, strengthening the organization’s relationships with policymakers and key partners, overseeing the college completion policy and New York policy and advocacy portfolios, and serving as an external ambassador for TICAS.
