Senator Gillibrand Pushes To Protect Graduate Education Programs That Create Critical Workforce Pipelines

Senator Gillibrand Pushes To Protect Graduate Education Programs That Create Critical Workforce Pipelines

Jun 8, 2026

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand stood with Binghamton University President Dr. Anne D'Alleva to advocate for the protection of graduate education programs that fuel critical workforce pipelines. Gillibrand highlighted her upcoming Senate legislation, the Professional Student Degree Act, which would expand the statutory definition of a "professional degree" to include qualifying graduate programs currently excluded by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). The bill would help ensure financial stability for students and universities while strengthening essential workforce pipelines.

Currently, the ED's implementation of federal student loan provisions under H.R.1 creates an immediate "loan cliff" for certain graduate degrees. By narrowing the definition of a "professional degree" to just 11 eligible programs, the current framework severely limits financial access for graduate programs in fields already facing severe labor shortages. Students in these newly designated "non-professional" programs face annual student loan caps that are $30,000 lower, and aggregate limits $100,000 lower, than students in designated professional tracks.

The Professional Student Degree Act would correct this imbalance by adding several graduate programs in areas such as nursing, education, and public health to the federal list of professional degrees eligible for higher borrowing limits. The department's current definition excludes these and other critical fields, limiting students' ability to secure the federal loans needed to complete their education and threatening to worsen nationwide workforce shortages, particularly in healthcare.

"The Professional Student Degree Act would ensure that students pursuing nursing, education, and public health degrees are no longer penalized with lower loan borrowing limits," said Senator Gillibrand."This bill would expand the definition of what constitutes a professional degree, giving students in these fields access to the financial resources they need to complete their education and begin their professional lives helping others."

"The Professional Student Degree Act is vital and necessary legislation to ensure that students have access to programs that produce qualified and skilled professionals in healthcare fields facing critical shortages," said Binghamton University President Anne D'Alleva. "The University is proud to have talented faculty and staff who lead these programs and help develop the next generation of professionals to provide care to New Yorkers. I am grateful for Senator Gillibrand's leadership on this issue as well as her longstanding support of Binghamton University and its commitment to learning, research, economic development, and community engagement," said Binghamton University President Anne D'Alleva.

"Without our healthcare workers, we would not be healthy nor would we have the important research to help our communities have a better quality of life. It is critical that we provide expanded opportunities for talented young people to start their journey in this profession. When we talk about maternal mortality and the impacts on marginalized communities, it is crucial that solutions are centered in addressing the disparities such as racial, gender, economic, and others that exist in the healthcare workforce. Ensuring financial stability for students and universities while strengthening essential workforce pipelines means that we can work towards closing these gaps and encourage more eager students to join the healthcare field," said New York State Senator Lea Webb.

"I would like to thank Senator Gillibrand for introducing the Professional Student Degree Act and for visiting our community today. Nursing, education, and public health are vitally important career paths that deserve to be part of the professional degree designation. At a time when New York and other states are facing workforce shortages in these fields, we should be removing barriers that play no useful purpose. I hope this bill gains the support it needs for passage," said Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo.

Despite receiving significant backlash during the public comment period, ED finalized the current borrower rules on April 30, 2026, and announced the caps on federal loans will go into effect on July 1, 2026, failing to account for workforce shortages, especially in healthcare. Without a statutory or legislative fix, students entering these costly but essential degree programs will be priced out of the workforce, further destabilizing already high-need professions.

The bill has been endorsed by the American Academy of Audiology, American Academy of Physician Associate, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, American Council on Education, American Institute of Architects, American Institute of Architecture Students, American Physical Therapy Association, Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, Columbia University, Commission on Independent Colleges & Universities, Dominican University New York, National Architectural Accrediting Board, National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, National Organization of Minority Architects, New York Medical College, Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), Physician Assistant Education Association, Yale University, and Binghamton University, State University of New York.

Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY) currently leads the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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