[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6739 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6739

 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to expand the definition of 
                          professional degree.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 16, 2025

 Mrs. Dingell introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to expand the definition of 
                          professional degree.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Clarity in Professional Degree 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Department of Education modified the definition of 
        ``professional degree'' programs eligible for Federal student 
        aid programs under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.), removing many health, education, and 
        graduate credentials from the list of definitions at the 
        detriment of students with disabilities.
            (2) This reclassification is part of a new student loan 
        policy and is expected to take effect on July 1, 2026.
            (3) Students in affected programs could now lose their 
        qualification for such Federal student aid programs which 
        experts fear would exacerbate workforce shortages. These fields 
        are the foundation of the United States economy, ensuring that 
        the Nation remains safe, educated, and healthy.

SEC. 3. PROFESSIONAL DEGREE DEFINED.

    Section 455(a)(4)(C) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1087e(a)(4)(C)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (ii), by striking ``, as defined under 
        section 668.2 of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations (as in 
        effect on the date of enactment of this paragraph),''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iii) Professional degree.--In this 
                        paragraph, the term `professional degree' has 
                        the meaning given the term in section 668.2 of 
                        title 34, Code of Federal Regulations (as in 
                        effect on the date of enactment of this 
                        paragraph), except that such term also includes 
                        the following degrees:
                                    ``(I) Nursing (A.D.N., R.N., or 
                                B.S.N.).
                                    ``(II) Occupational Therapy 
                                (M.O.T.).
                                    ``(III) Physical Therapy (D.P.T.).
                                    ``(IV) Social Work (M.S.W.).
                                    ``(V) Accounting (MAcc).
                                    ``(VI) Architecture (M.Arch.).
                                    ``(VII) Special and Secondary 
                                Education (M.Ed., M.S.Ed., or M.A.T.).
                                    ``(VIII) Music Education (M.S. or 
                                M.M.E.).
                                    ``(IX) World Languages (M.Ed.).
                                    ``(X) Public Health (M.P.H.).''.
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