May 28, 2025
The Honorable Mike Johnson
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries
Democratic Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable John Thune
Majority Leader
U.S. Senate
The Honorable Charles Schumer
Democratic Leader
U.S. Senate
Dear Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Thune, Democratic Leaders Jeffries and Schumer,
On behalf of the 32 undersigned organization representing tens of millions of service members, veterans, and their families and survivors (over 1 million currently of whom are attending college today), we write to oppose the repeal of the bipartisan and common-sense “90/10 Rule” in the House Education and Workforce Committee’s reconciliation bill. Our organizations spent a decade with bipartisan Lawmakers to solve this problem – that progress shouldn’t be undone. Repealing this rule would cost $1.6 billion, according to the CBO.
Those who have served their country have earned the ability to pursue higher education credentials, with the reasonable expectation that the U.S. Department of Education (ED) stamp of approval is a program that is worth their hard-earned benefits. For military-connected students, the need to trust ED’s approval is heightened since both the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Veterans Affairs rely on ED’s gatekeeping to ensure quality in higher education programs.
Congress designed the “90/10 Rule” to be a market viability test to protect taxpayers from artificially propping up a failing college of such low quality that no employer or private-paying student is willing to pay for it. As the Supreme Court explained about the rule’s precursor, it is a “device intended by Congress to allow the free market mechanism to operate and to weed out those institutions [which] could survive only by the heavy influx of federal payments.”
We urge you to vote “NO” on repealing the common-sense “90/10 Rule” in the reconciliation bill.
We’re also deeply concerned that the Committee’s reconciliation bill could make higher education more expensive for military-connected students. Many veterans depend on Pell Grants (38% of undergrads) and student loans (20%) to pay for college. According to the Department of Labor, student veterans are also more likely than civilians to juggle work, families and school – making it harder to take on heavier course loads.
Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.
Respectfully,
Air Force Sergeants Association
Army Aviation Association of America
Blinded Veterans Association
Blue Star Families
Commissioned Officers Association of the USPHS
Common Defense
D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families
DAV (Disabled American Veterans)
Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services
Gold Star Wives of America, inc
Hire Heroes USA
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Military Family Advisory Network
Military Officers Association of America
Military Order of the Purple Heart
Minority Veterans of America
National Military Family Association
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Project Sanctuary
Service to School
Service Women’s Action Network
Swords to Plowshares
The Military Chaplains Association of the United States of America
Tragedy Assistance Programs for Survivors
TREA: The Enlisted Association
U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer & Enlisted Association
Veterans Education Success
Veterans for Common Sense
Vote Vets
Women in Military Service for America Memorial
Women in the Service Coalition, Inc
Women Veterans and Families Network
CC:
The Honorable Tim Walberg, Chairman, House Committee on Education & the Workforce
The Honorable Bobby Scott, Ranking Member, House Committee on Education & the Workforce
The Honorable Bill Cassidy, Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
The Honorable Bernie Sanders, Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
The Honorable Mike Bost, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
The Honorable Mark Takano, Ranking Member, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
The Honorable Jerry Moran, Chairman, Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
The Honorable Richard Blumenthal, Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
The Honorable Mike Rogers, Chair, House Armed Services Committee
The Honorable Adam Smith, Ranking Member, House Armed Services Committee
The Honorable Roger Wicker, Chair, Senate Armed Services Committee
The Honorable Jack Reed, Ranking Member, Senate Armed Services Committee