Policy Watch

Given rapid developments in the legislative, policy, and regulatory environments, 草莓社区 is providing weekly updates on key actions taken by Congress and the Administration. To quickly find relevant updates, use the dropdown menus to search by topic or date.

News by Topic

Supreme Court at the Department of Education as President Trump seeks to close the agency.
AACN joined with the American Council on Education and other national associations in in support of Harvard University’s lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s efforts to subvert higher education to the federal government’s political leadership.
On May 30, AACN signed on to a letter with other higher education associations urging the State Department to make any pause on student visa processing as short as possible, cut wait times, and streamline the process for student visa applicants.
On May 14, AACN joined with a broad coalition of higher education organizations in a statement calling upon the Trump Administration to protect and renew the longstanding partnership between the federal government and colleges and universities.
The Department of Education for colleges and universities.
U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice Announce .
U.S. Department of Education and Loan Consolidation Applications for Borrowers.
AACN signed on to a Request for Information for the Trump Administration's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Plan relating to the use of AI across the higher education landscape.
U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) following the February 14 that reiterated schools’ civil rights obligations to end the use of racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities.
U.S. Department of Education Issues More Details About , including a .
as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

On July 25, AACN signed onto a letter led by the Committee for Education Funding, Coalition on Human Needs, Coalition for Health Funding, and Campaign to Invest in America’s Workforce to the leadership of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. The letter urges the Committees to increase funding for various health, education, and workforce programs in the Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.
NIH director is replacing his top .
On June 25, AACN signed onto a coalition letter with leading healthcare associations urging Senate leadership to reject proposed cuts to Medicaid in the Committee’s budget reconciliation bill given the impact on women’s and child healthcare.
More than 460 laid-off CDC employees are .
Last week, a federal judge in Massachusetts ordered the National Institutes of Health terminated earlier this year.
Becker's Hospital Review released an by state and the.
NINR announces to celebrate 40 years of solutions-oriented nursing research.
On June 5, AACN joined with a broad coalition of organizations in a letter urging the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to reject the $18 billion in cuts to the National Institutes of Health proposed in the President's budget and work with the Administration on a different path forward.
On June 10, AACN signed on along with other national nursing organizations expressing strong concerns over HHS Secretary Kennedy’s decision to dismiss all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
The Presidential Commission to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) identifying key drivers behind the childhood chronic disease crisis.
On May 22, the House of Representatives passed the President's , sending it on to the Senate.
On May 14, AACN signed onto a letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS-ED) urging them to support at least $420.85 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Environmental Health in the FY 2026 LHHS-ED Appropriations bill.
On May 13, AACN signed onto a letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies urging them to reject the elimination of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which was outlined in the Administration’s FY 2026 budget proposal.
On May 6, AACN published a response to the message urging the Administration to protect funding for nursing education and workforce programs.
The National Science Foundation announced the implementation of .
On April 29, AACN signed onto letters from American Indian/Alaska Native Health Partners to the House and Senate supporting funding for the Indian Health Professions Account and Indian Health Service.
AACN released a statement of concern regarding the President's proposed budget for FY 2026 that includes across the board cuts to federal agencies, including HHS, NIH, HRSA, and the Department of Education.
Colleges with will no longer be eligible for NIH grants.
On April 25, AACN signed on to a coalition letter urging Congress to reject the proposed HHS budget cuts and ensure that essential programs are adequately funded.
On April 22, AACN joined with other higher education leaders to better serve the American people while rejecting undue government intrusion and the coercive use of public research funding.
From Insider Higher Ed:
A federal judge issued an order research funding from NIH.
AACN Signs on to Legal Challenge to New NIH Funding Guidance
AACN Statement on New NIH Guidance Limiting Indirect Costs for Research Grants

Also on July 14, AACN sent a letter to Representative Judy Chu (D-CA-27) and Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) thanking them for introducing the Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt (POST GRAD) Act (H.R.3711/S.1948).
U.S. Department of Education .
On June 27, AACN signed onto an American Council on Education letter to Senate leadership expressing concerns about cuts to federal student aid and new taxes on higher education institutions proposed in the Senate’s budget reconciliation bills.
On June 17, AACN led a healthcare community sign on letter advocating for higher education provisions in the Senate budget reconciliation process. This includes preserving subsidized loans for undergraduates, retaining the Grad PLUS Program, increasing the proposed aggregate limit for unsubsidized federal loans, and preserving other federal loan programs.
Last week, Senator Alex Padilla (CA) and Representative Judy Chu (CA-28) to help students afford advanced education by restoring graduate students’ eligibility for receiving subsidized federal loans.
U.S. Department of Education and proactive steps to ensure American taxpayer dollars spent on federal student aid programs are used responsibly.
The Department of Education released a of their obligations to help struggling borrowers.
Department of Education to , starting May 5.
The 2025 application cycle closes on Thursday, April 24, 7:30 pm (ET).
The Small Business Administration, the agency newly responsible for overseeing student loans, .
HHS has published a since January 2025, including information of recipient institutions, projects funded, and award totals.
An Executive Order creates for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Lawsuit over heads to the Supreme Court.
On July 14, AACN signed onto a Nursing Community Coalition letter thanking the Senators and Representatives who introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S.1874/H.R.3593).
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators published an of the reconciliation bill signed into law July 4.
On June 23, AACN signed onto a Nursing Community Coalition letter thanking Representatives Tim Walberg (R-MI-05) and Joe Courtney (D-CT-02) for introducing the Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act (H.R.3170), and supporting its passage this Congress.
On June 9, AACN signed onto a Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) letter thanking Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT-02) and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) for introducing the bipartisan, bicameral Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R.2531/S.1232).
草莓社区 is working with congressional offices to share information and communicate the value of NINR and nursing science. AACN was proud to see Senate Nursing Caucus Co-Chair, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), highlight the importance of NINR at the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with the NIH Director (see comments ).
On May 28, AACN signed onto a Nursing Community Coalition (NCC) letter thanking the leaders of the House and Senate Nursing Caucuses for introducing a bipartisan and bicameral resolution honoring National Nurses Week.
On May 15, U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs issued a halting the Department of Energy from "implementing, instituting, maintaining, or giving effect to the Rate Cap Policy in any form with respect to the IHEs (institutions of higher education)."
Members of both Congressional Nursing Caucuses celebrating National Nurses Week.
On April 17, AACN joined with other nursing associations in urging Congress to support Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs.
Congress passed the , funding the government through the end of FY2025 and avoiding a government shutdown.
House Republicans released a proposed through September 30.

The Department of Education to implement President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
U.S. Department of Education announces of higher education provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) released a detailing impact of Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” on health care in America.
On May 12, the President mandating that drug manufacturers begin offering American consumers the most-favored-nation lowest price on pharmaceuticals.
Secretary Kennedy defending the large-scale reduction in force at HHS.
Senate to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
President Trump to to be CDC Director.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer was sworn in as the .

AACN was proud to join the Coalition for Health Funding’s Hill Day on July 24 to advocate for the future of public health, including support for all Title VIII Programs and NINR.
HHS preventive services task force meeting.
AACN has heard from some members that funding for both the Nursing Workforce Diversity Program and the Nursing Faculty Loan Program has been cancelled. If you have received a notice of cancellation, please share your experience with us.The application is open through July 3.
AACN needs you to ask your Members of Congress to cosponsor and pass the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S.1874/H.R.3593). This legislation would help ensure that pathways into nursing remain strong, and patients maintain access to high-quality nursing care.
On May 27, AACN joined with a coalition of nursing associations in response to an FTC request for comment on reducing anti-competitive regulatory barriers. The comment letter highlights regulatory barriers that prevent APRNs from practicing to the full extent of their education and clinical training and suggests approaches to removing barriers.
Applications are to become a National Health Service Corps (NHSC)-approved site.
The is accepting applications through April 17. The program provides funds to Registered Nurses and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses working in an eligible public or private critical shortage facility, or nurse faculty at an eligible school of nursing.
The application cycle is now open through April 24.