A group of Democratic lawmakers in both the House and Senate want to block the Department of Education’s final regulations implementing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which eliminate the SAVE plan, cap graduate and parent borrowing, and replace existing repayment options before a July 1, 2026 effective date.
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) introduced a joint resolution (PDF File) on May 7, 2026 to disapprove the ED rule formally titled “Reimagining and Improving Student Education-Federal Student Loan Program Final Regulations.”
The resolution invokes the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which lets Congress overturn agency rules issued within the prior six months with a simple majority in each chamber.
Cosponsors include Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), and Rep. John Mannion (D-N.Y.) and Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.).
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What the final rule does: The final OBBBA rules do the following things –
- Sets new student loan borrowing limits for graduate, professional, and parent PLUS borrowers
- Establishes a new Tiered Standard Plan and Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP)
- Eliminates several income-driven repayment plan options
- Set to take effect July 1, 2026
What lawmakers are saying: Bonamici said in a statement: “It is also absurd to take away more affordable student loan repayment plans at a time when families are struggling to cover costs as prices skyrocket for gas and other basic needs as a direct result of Trump’s reckless economic policy. These changes to the federal loan system are unacceptable and I will do everything I can to oppose them.“
Merkley said the rule would harm public service fields: “By failing to classify nurses, teachers, firefighters, social workers, accountants, architects, and others as pursuing ‘professional’ degrees for student loans, the Trump Administration is undermining the future of critical professions. At the same time, this is driving up the cost of student loans for all professions by establishing costlier student loan repayment plans.“
How the CRA process works: The CRA allows Congress to stop agency rules (such as those issued by the Department of Education) issued within the previous six months and requires only a simple majority in both the House and Senate to pass. The resolution then goes to the President for signature, and a veto requires a two-thirds override in each chamber. If enacted, the agency cannot issue a substantially similar rule without new congressional authorization.
How this connects: This is the second CRA resolution Democrats have filed against ED rulemaking in recent weeks. Last month, lawmakers introduced a separate resolution to rescind the department’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) employer eligibility rule, which also takes effect July 1.
With unified Republican control of Congress and the White House, the likelihood of these resolutions passing is low, but the filings create a paper trail Democrats can run on.
For borrowers, the practical reality is that SAVE is ending, RAP and the new Tiered Standard Plan are coming online, and the new borrowing caps will apply to loans disbursed after July 1.
What happens next: The resolution has been referred to committee. Until and unless the rule is rescinded, borrowers should plan as if the OBBBA changes take full effect on July 1, 2026, including reviewing repayment plan options before the SAVE forbearance ends and confirming loan limits before the new academic year.
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Editor: Colin Graves
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