Republicans maintained control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in Tuesday’s election as Donald Trump was elected president — shocking Democrats who expected to win the presidency if not the upper chamber of Congress as well.
However, leaders of both parties have said that a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act will be a top priority in the next Congress and will provide an opportunity to tackle a host of policy issues affecting postsecondary education. Senators Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Patty Murray of Washington — the senior Republican and Democrat, respectively, on the Senate education committee — will both return to the upper chamber after Murray easily won her re-election bid.
A number of higher ed issues would be on the committee’s agenda, including so-called risk-sharing proposals that have gained bipartisan support in both chambers. Risk sharing — also frequently referred to as “skin in the game” measures — would entail holding colleges and universities accountable for outcomes like graduates’ ability to repay their student loan debt.
Read more at Inside Higher Ed: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/11/08/uncertain-outlook-under-trump-and-gop-congress
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