A lion’s share of the Congressional impact on higher ed came from the Executive branch, not the Legislative branch. Reports Inside Higher Education:

“‘Accomplishments’ is not really the word I would use considering the challenges that higher education faced this year,’ said Jared Bass, senior vice president of education at the Center for American Progress. ‘I don’t think that Congress actually met the moment for affordability or defending and preserving higher education.’ Only one bill tracked by Inside Higher Ed,the Laken Riley Act, reached the president’s desk. That law gave state attorneys general increased power over visas that could affect some international students and scholars. Others, including the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a bill that forbids trans women from participating in women’s sports, and the DETERRENT Act, a bill designed to restrict foreign academic partnerships, made it out of the House in a matter of weeks but then got stuck in the Senate.”

Will that picture change in 2026? Yes, if Republicans have their way, but other forces may draw Congress’s attention elsewhere. Read more here.