Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Restore Student Loan Assistance for Students, Boost Health Care Workforce

Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Restore Student Loan Assistance for Students, Boost Health Care Workforce

Bill overturns provision in Republicans' Big Ugly Bill that ripped away student loan assistance for professional and graduate students

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today said he has joined his colleagues in introducing legislation that would reverse a provision in the Republicans' Big Ugly Bill that reduced federal student loan availability for graduate and professional students, including social workers, nurses, and educators.

"Buried in the Republicans' Big Ugly Bill was a provision to make it harder for students to pursue careers in industries that are in desperate need of expanded workforces, like social workers, nurses and educators," Wyden said. "This legislation takes a much-needed step to ensure students pursuing their dream of entering the care workforce can do so without being hit with an even greater financial burden, and secure the next generation of providers for Americans that rely on them."

The Professional Degree Access Restoration Act would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965. This bill would expand access to advanced education for those seeking to pursue careers in nursing, teaching, social work, medicine, and more.

In addition to the nearly one trillion dollar cuts to Medicaid included in the Big Ugly Bill, reducing student loan assistance for nurses and other care givers will be devastating for health care workforce in Oregon and nationwide, particularly in rural areas, where providers are already being forced to close their doors.

Joining Wyden, the bill is cosponsored by Senators Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., and cosponsored by Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Andy Kim, D-N.J., Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Tina Smith, D-Minn., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.

The text of the bill is here.