AACN Leads Efforts to Ensure Nursing is a Professional Degree

NEW RESOURCE: Earlier this month, the Department of Education released its final rule excluding nursing from its definition of professional degree programs, subjecting post-baccalaureate nursing to significantly constrained federal loan limits of $20,500/annually and $100,000/aggregate. Click here to view AACN’s overview of the final rule and its implications for post-baccalaureate nursing education.

Continued Congressional Support for Nursing as a Professional Degree

• On May 7, Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14), and John Mannion (D-NY-22), and Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) announced they will introduce a Congressional Review Act joint resolution to repeal the Department of Education’s final rule.
   
• On May 14, bipartisan members of the House Committee on Education and Workforce questioned Secretary McMahon about the Department of Education’s reasoning for excluding post-baccalaureate nursing programs from being classified as professional degrees in the final rule. AACN appreciates these members of Congress for their leadership and strong support for nursing education. Click here to view the congressional hearing.
   
• On May 19, U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) introduced the Nursing is a Professional Degree Act (S. 4568), which provides a simple fix to the Department of Education’s final rule and guarantees that nursing students pursuing post-baccalaureate nursing programs can access affordable student loans. A companion bill has already been introduced in the House of Representatives. This bill is also supported by 250 national and state organizations.

Lawsuit Filed Against the Department of Education’s Final Rule

On May 19, Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown co-led a coalition of 24 attorneys general and the governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania in filing a joint lawsuit against the Department of Education over the recent rule imposing new loan limits on post-baccalaureate education. The coalition asserts that this rule could reduce revenue for public institutions of higher education, create barriers for students pursuing advanced training, worsen healthcare workforce shortages, and limit protections for students currently enrolled in affected programs. Click here to view the full press release.

Celebrating National Nurses Month with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

On May 13, AACN President and CEO, Dr. Deborah Trautman, along with AACN’s Government Affairs and Policy team, attended the HRSA National Nurses Month 2026 celebration and the 80th Anniversary of the Division of Nursing.

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