NCC urges administration, Congress to correct Education Department rule

The Nursing Community Coalition urges the administration and Congress to correct the Department of Education final rule, which excludes post-baccalaureate nursing from the “professional degree” programs. The policy limits nurses pursuing graduate degrees to federal borrowing limits of $20,500 per year and $100,000 in aggregate. “Ignoring all the evidence provided in federal comments, including from the NCC, 277 national and state organizations, and more than 150 bipartisan members of Congress, underscores the Department’s complete disregard for how critical it is to invest in nursing education, remove barriers to enter the profession and support ongoing nursing workforce needs,” the NCC says. AONL is one of 65 national nursing organizations in the NCC. AONL and the American Hospital Association released statements opposing the final rule. (NCC Statement, 5/1/26)