A House hearing highlighted the potential of skills‑based transcripts and learning records as tools to connect education to employment, with Republicans and Democrats both signaling interest in standardized credentialing. Lawmakers described skills transcripts as a pathway to clearer hiring signals and better workforce alignment. New research into credit and prior‑learning evaluation found pervasive delays and friction for transfer students, including months‑long battles to transfer coursework and inconsistent policies across institutions. Students and administrators described opaque processes that add time and cost to degree completion, undermining the promise of transfer pathways. The juxtaposition of congressional interest in skills credentials with persistent evaluation failures on campuses creates pressure for both federal guidance and institutional process redesign to reduce administrative barriers and speed credit recognition for adult learners and transfers.