ENA Washington Update - December 2025

News You Can Use
Department of Education Declines to Consider Nursing a ‘Professional Degree’
As part of the implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the Department of Education recently released a proposal to enact new borrowing limits on federal student loans for graduate students.

ENA calls on the Department of Education to explicitly include nursing in its definition of “professional degrees” within this proposal. If the proposal is approved as currently written, nurses pursuing advanced degrees could be limited in the amount they may borrow in federal student loans.

According to the proposal, beginning in July 2026, federal loans for students in graduate degree programs will be capped at $20,500 per year, with a $100,000 lifetime limit. Students in programs designated as “professional degrees” would be capped at a higher limit of $50,000 per year, with a $200,000 lifetime limit.

Previous loan borrowing limits on graduate degrees were essentially set at the full cost of obtaining the degree, something the administration argued was leading universities to charge high costs for degrees that offered limited return on that investment. A Proposed Rule is expected in early 2026, when the public will have an opportunity to comment on the changes. Watch for more information from ENA about how to submit comments when that period opens.

Excluding advanced nursing degrees from the “professional degrees” designation could discourage interested candidates from pursuing education they might not be able to afford without a federal student loan. Limiting the number of graduate-prepared nurses could complicate an already existing shortage of nurses, those at the stretcherside as well as nursing school faculty. ENA recently signed onto two letters opposing this proposal, which can be read here: https://www.ena.org/advocacy/federal-letters-support.

Funding Restored After Shutdown Ends, However Questions Remain
The November agreement to reopen the U.S. government restored funding to a wide array of federal programs and offices including critical nursing research at the National Institutes for Health, while continuing the processing of nursing education grants and scholarships through Title VIII programs.

However, questions remain related to subsidies that helped lower the cost of insurance in the ACA marketplaces, which had been implemented as part of pandemic relief. Without these subsidies, insurance premiums for millions of people will skyrocket. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates these increases will affect people across income levels.  Most notably, individuals below 250 percent of the federal poverty level could see a fourfold rise in their premiums. The Commonwealth Fund reports as many as 5 million people will lose coverage in 2026, with millions more facing much higher premiums. If primary and preventive care is unaffordable, more people may put off care until they need emergency treatment, adding additional strain to many EDs that are already overcrowded and undercompensated. Senate Republicans have promised a vote to extend the subsidies as early as this week, although it is not clear if the House is prepared to schedule a similar vote.

Despite this temporary relief, Congress will need to act on FY26 funding again before Jan. 30, when the current continuing resolution expires. Options include passing the remaining appropriations bills, enacting another short-term continuing resolution or passing an omnibus that essentially funds the government for the remainder of the fiscal year, typically with few opportunities for increases to individual programs. Without action, there is risk of another partial government shutdown.

ENA State Leaders: Got a State Bill to Track?
Contact ENA Government Relations and let us know the bill number - gov@ena.org.

EN411 Grassroots Advocacy

Members of Congress need to hear from their constituents – this means you!
Action Alerts highlight ENA’s priorities before the House and Senate. Through the links below, you can send a letter or X post to your member of Congress.

The Nursing Shortage is Real. Title VIII Programs Provide Real Support.

Emergency Nurses are Under Attack! A Federal Criminal Law Could Help Deter Violence.

Boarding and Overcrowding Have Been Problems for Years. Let’s Do Something About It.

MISSION ZERO Is Popular, Innovative, and Needs to be Reauthorized. Learn More

Workplace Violence Has No Cure. Tell Congress to Do More to Fight It!

Support Tyler’s Law to Effectively Implement Fentanyl Testing in EDs!

Support the Reauthorization of Programs to Combat Emergency Nurse Burnout!

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