The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education announced it will commence two negotiated rulemaking sessions in order to implement President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) higher education provisions, as well as other Administration priorities. As the first step in implementing the President’s historic agenda, the Department will host a public virtual hearing to receive recommendations on how best to actualize regulatory changes to the federal student loan and Pell Grants programs.
“The Department is taking swift action to implement President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” said 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.”
The Department will create a Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee to address federal student loan-related changes. The RISE Committee will have five-day sessions in September and November. The Department will also create an Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) Committee to address Workforce Pell, institutional and programmatic accountability, and other issues. The AHEAD Committee will have five-day sessions in December and January.
Background:
Section 492 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 requires that the Secretary of Education solicit public involvement in the development of proposed regulations before publishing any proposed rules implementing programs authorized under Title IV. After obtaining advice and recommendations from the public and stakeholders, the Secretary conducts negotiated rulemaking to develop the proposed regulations.
Last week, the Department’s Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) provided preliminary guidance to institutions of higher education and FSA’s partners on immediate changes effective upon enactment of the OBBB to income-based repayment plans, repayment options for parents, loan limits for part-time students, and Biden-era borrower defense to repayment and closed school discharge regulations. The guidance can be read here. FSA will provide further guidance on select issues included in OBBB throughout the year.
Public Comment:
The Department will host one virtual public hearing on August 7, 2025. In addition, the Department will accept written comments that must be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at Regulations.gov. If you require an accommodation or cannot otherwise submit your feedback via Regulations.gov, please contact regulationshelpdesk@gsa.gov or by phone at 1-866-498-2945. The deadline for public comment is 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.
More information can be found here.
Federal Register: Public Hearing: Negotiated Rulemaking Committees and also Intent To Establish Negotiated Rulemaking Committees; Correction