The U.S. Department of Education has announced two Negotiated Rulemaking sessions to implement provisions of HR1, the Federal Reconciliation bill, otherwise known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act or OB3.

The first rulemaking committee, known as the Reimagining and Improving Student Education or RISE, covers student loans and repayment with sessions to be held September 29 to October 3 and November 3 to 7. The second rulemaking committee, known as the Accountability in Higher Education through Demand-Driven Workforce Pell or AHEAD, will cover institutional accountability and Workforce Pell with two sessions held December 8 to 12 and January 5 to 9, 2026.

WAICU is coordinating closely with our national partner, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), sharing feedback to the Department. Click HERE to read a copy of a letter submitted by NAICU, that WAICU joined as a signatory, sent to the Department of Education.  NAICU, within their comments, outlined a general framework for the Department to consider, as it puts forth its policy recommendations.

WAICU will continue to coordinate closely with NAICU throughout the rulemaking process. WAICU also has submitted a nomination to the Department for the RISE and AHEAD Rulemaking Committees to serve as the representative for the private, nonprofit sector of higher education. While we know this will be a competitive selection process, we have advanced an excellent candidate for the Department’s consideration.

For more information, please email WAICU Executive Vice President of External Relations Rebecca Larson.