New Bills Would Cut Federal Aid To College Programs That Fail Licensing And Earnings Tests

Companion bills, titled the "Protecting Students from Worthless Degrees Act," were introduced last month by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) to block federal student aid from programs whose graduates cannot qualify for the jobs those programs advertise. The legislation aims to codify accountability rules into law, making federal aid conditional on a school's ability to ensure graduates meet licensure requirements and achieve expected earnings.