FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2026

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media@edtrust.org

EdTrust Reacts to HELP Committee Markup
Statement from EdTrust on Thursday’s markup of a host of education bills

WASHINGTON — “EdTrust supports several bills reported favorably out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee today. Most notably, the bipartisan termination of the illegal transfer of dozens of programs and offices out of the Department of Education (ED) via the passage of S. 5046 is an important step toward protecting our most vulnerable students and public education across America. We continue to encourage Congress to build on today’s action by pushing forward, via this bill and all available pathways, legislative language to halt and reverse the illegal transfer of programs out of ED.

EdTrust also approves of the passage of the College Transparency Act (S. 2511), the RISE Act (S. 3589), and the READ Act (S. 4689). Together, these bills represent meaningful progress on issues of importance to students and families, including stronger data collection regarding college student outcomes, lowering barriers to college for students with disabilities, and strengthening and modernizing our nation’s investments in literacy to align with the science of reading. Passing these bills out of the committee helps codify our nation’s promise to serve all students, including students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities. We call on Congress to pass these bills in the coming months.

Despite these positive steps forward, there is more work to do to stop the persistent harms caused by ongoing efforts by the administration to undo necessary safeguards and supports for students. EdTrust was disappointed to see amendments to protect additional vital ED programs and offices, including the Office for Civil Rights, fail to pass the committee. This will send shockwaves through communities and increase disparities across low-income and diverse school districts — especially on the heels of ED rescinding its disparate impact rule, a reliable tool used to assess discrimination in schools. We are also deeply troubled by the committee’s decision to advance S. 4097, the State-Based Loan Awareness Act, which unnecessarily deregulates state-based lenders as more students are pushed toward non-federal student loans due to H.R. 1’s impact.

As these measures proceed forward, EdTrust remains committed to working with lawmakers to create policies that strengthen public education and eliminate obstacles for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds to achieve educational success.”

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