Blumenthal Introduces Bill Restoring Fairness in Federal Student Aid

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) along with U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced a bill to re-establish flexibility and accountability in federal student aid after President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act imposed burdensome provisions restricting access to affordable higher education. The Restoring College Access and Affordability Act reinstates student loan programs and borrower protections, making higher education more affordable and accessible to more Americans.

“This critical legislation restores much needed fairness and flexibility in federal student aid, helping more Americans take advantage of educational opportunities to learn and grow,” said Blumenthal. “The Trump Administration has led a campaign of targeted attacks against higher education in our country, blocking access to higher education for the very students the federal aid system is meant to serve. The Restoring College Access and Affordability Act pushes back against such attacks and ensures that students have the educational resources and support needed to set them up on pathways to success.”

“The ‘Big, Ugly Betrayal’ is the hallmark of the Trump Administration’s ‘families lose, billionaires win’ agenda—savaging programs families rely on and increasing tax giveaways for Trump’s billionaire friends,” said Merkley. “This critical legislation will restore the college access programs that open the doors of opportunity to good-paying jobs.”

“On top of ripping health care away from millions and taking food off the tables of hungry children, the Republican Budget Betrayal also cuts off access to education for students in New Mexico and across the country,” said Luján. “Every student deserves the opportunity to pursue an education. That’s why I’ve partnered with my colleagues to introduce the Restoring College Access and Affordability Act. Our legislation will reverse harmful changes in the Republican Budget Betrayal that block access to higher education and will restore fairness in federal student aid. Students in New Mexico deserve pathways to higher education, and this bill helps deliver just that.”

“Students across the nation are carrying burdensome loan debt that too often limits their ability to pursue or complete their education and pursue their dreams,” said Booker. “In New Jersey, that reality is especially stark. It’s time we put students first and keep college truly accessible, so every young person has a fair shot at achieving their goals and building the future they envision. This bill helps restore opportunity and ensures higher education remains a pathway forward—not a lifelong financial weight.”

“My north star is economic opportunity – I believe Marylanders shouldn’t be living on the margins, but creating lives where they can truly thrive. Access to higher education creates pathways to generating wealth as well as opportunities to learn and grow – yet Congressional Republicans and this Administration made that pathway more difficult to access for so many with their big ugly bill. Our Restoring College Access and Affordability Act is just one of the ways I am trying to create prosperity and rebuild and restore the damage this Administration has unleashed on Americans,” said Alsobrooks.

“We should be making it easier for students to access higher education, but Republicans instead made major changes in the megabill they passed last year that cuts financial aid off for many students,” said Kaine. “I’m introducing this legislation to reverse these changes, restore fairness in federal financial aid, and help ensure equal opportunity to higher education for all.”

President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act undermines affordability and equity in higher education—eliminating loan programs, weakening borrower protections, and threatening institutional stability. The Restoring College Access and Affordability Act better serves American students by combatting the Trump Administration’s attacks on higher education and restoring fairness, flexibility, and accountability, re-establishing critical loan programs and protecting loan borrowers from predatory practices.

The Restoring College Access and Affordability Act is supported by a number of organizations, including Protect Borrowers, The American Federation of Teachers, The Institute for College Access and Success, National Consumer Law Center, National Association for College Admission Counseling, and Student Debt Center.

The full text of the bill can be found here, and a one-pager on the bill can be found here.

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