House Republicans on the Appropriations Committee have advanced a fiscal 2027 education budget proposal that would keep Pell Grant funding on course but also eliminate federal subsidized loans for undergraduate students. The measure, described as omitted from the official summary, would reduce the subsidized loan program while raising the maximum Pell award by $50 to $7,445. Higher education advocates argued that removing subsidized loans would undercut students’ ability to stay enrolled, even as Pell funding rises. The week’s coverage also notes ongoing scrutiny of DEI and admissions-related practices for undocumented students. Taken together, the budget discussion signals a potential rebalancing of how federal aid supports persistence—shifting away from subsidized borrowing toward grants. For institutions, the key operational question is how quickly enrollment and student support models must adapt if subsidized loan eligibility changes without a transition that preserves continuity for current borrowers.