Lawmakers urge Education Department to add nursing to ‘professional’ programs list amid uproar

Lawmakers Push Education Department to Recognize Nursing as “Professional” Program

A growing bipartisan coalition in Congress is challenging the Department of Education’s decision to exclude nursing from its list of “professional” graduate programs, a classification that impacts federal student loan limits for advanced degrees.

More than 140 lawmakers, including 12 Republicans, signed a letter urging the Education Department to reconsider its position. The effort was spearheaded by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), along with Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), who lead the Senate and House nursing caucuses.

Under new rules proposed by the Education Department, graduate programs designated as “professional” would allow students to borrow up to $200,000 in federal loans for their entire education, with annual limits of $50,000. Non-professional graduate programs would face significantly tighter restrictions, with total borrowing capped at $100,000 and yearly limits of $20,500.

The current list of recognized professional programs includes medicine, law, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, theology, and clinical psychology – but notably omits nursing and several other healthcare fields.

In their letter sent Friday, lawmakers argued that these borrowing caps would create substantial barriers for students pursuing advanced nursing degrees, particularly in high-demand specialties like nurse anesthesia. Programs for certified nurse anesthetists can exceed $200,000 in total cost but typically lead to well-paying positions in underserved communities.

“Nurse anesthetists overwhelmingly provides anesthesia to rural and underserved communities where higher cost physicians do not practice,” the lawmakers noted, highlighting the critical workforce implications of restricting access to these programs.

The annual cap of $20,500 would also create challenges for students in accelerated or year-round nurse practitioner programs, which often charge for three academic terms annually rather than the traditional two, frequently pushing costs above the proposed limit.

Representative Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) sent a similar letter this week, emphasizing the disproportionate impact these restrictions would have on his South Bronx district. “A restrictive interpretation would undermine our healthcare and education systems, weaken our workforce, and close doors for low-income, first-generation, and immigrant students who make up much of my district,” Torres stated.

The Education Department has defended its position, noting in a statement that 95% of nursing students are enrolled in programs that would not be affected by the new caps. Department officials also indicated that the proposal could still be modified during the federal rulemaking process.

The controversy stems from the department’s interpretation of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which provides examples of professional programs but explicitly states the list is not exhaustive. Critics argue the Trump administration has unnecessarily narrowed the definition by including only those fields specifically mentioned in the original legislation.

The broader context of this dispute is the administration’s stated goal of pressuring colleges to reduce tuition costs by limiting federal loan availability. Before these proposed changes, graduate students could borrow federal loans covering the full cost of their education regardless of program type.

The nursing controversy has sparked significant opposition from professional organizations beyond nursing as well. Physical therapists, social workers, and other healthcare professionals have raised concerns about being excluded from the “professional” designation despite requiring advanced degrees for licensure and practice.

The timing of this dispute is particularly significant given the ongoing healthcare workforce shortages across the country, especially in rural and underserved areas where advanced practice nurses often fill critical care gaps. Industry experts warn that limiting educational access could exacerbate these shortages at a time when demand for healthcare services continues to grow.

As the rulemaking process continues, the Education Department faces mounting pressure to reconsider its position on nursing and other allied health professions that play essential roles in the U.S. healthcare system.