Democratic lawmakers and higher education experts urged the Department of Education to reconsider elements of a proposal aimed at tying eligibility for federal student loans to a new earnings test for graduates. Under the proposal, programs could lose federal loan eligibility if most graduates do not “outearn” state peers with comparable education levels. Critics argue the approach would erode consumer protections established under Biden-era gainful employment rules, which included debt-to-earnings safeguards intended to prevent career education programs from saddling students with unmanageable debt. Members of Congress said the Department must show it can oversee the sweeping changes while protecting students from low-quality programs. The proposal would implement provisions of a prior Republican-backed spending package. The immediate implication for campuses and governing boards is a heightened need to model earnings-test outcomes, review program-level debt and graduate earnings data, and prepare for potential eligibility disruptions—particularly among shorter-cycle and career-focused providers.