Why it Matters

The House Education and Workforce Committee approved 11 bills on June 25, 2026, marking a significant push by Republicans to reshape higher education policy and federal worker protections. The markup hearing revealed sharp partisan divisions on campus free speech and university accountability measures, while several bills passed with bipartisan support.

The Republican-controlled committee advanced legislation targeting antisemitism in schools, protecting student organizations, and tightening oversight of federal workers' compensation fraud. Democrats offered amendments opposing the higher education bills, signaling deep disagreement over the scope and necessity of the measures.

The Big Picture

The House Education and Workforce Committee, chaired by Tim Walberg (R-MI), is moving aggressively on education policy under the Trump administration. The June 25 markup represents one of the most comprehensive education committee actions since Republicans took control of Congress.

The bills address several interconnected concerns raised by Republicans. Most prominently, antisemitism on campuses has become a central focus. Since October 7, 2023, antisemitism has increased significantly at educational institutions, according to committee statements. This backdrop frames several of the bills being advanced.

Beyond campus antisemitism, the markup addressed broader Republican priorities: protecting students' freedom of association, ensuring religious student groups receive equal treatment, and strengthening federal worker protections. The committee also tackled workforce data collection on artificial intelligence and health care cost transparency.

The bills represent a mix of approaches. Some target specific campus practices, while others address federal workers' compensation fraud and interstate professional licensing. The broad agenda suggests Republicans are using their committee majorities to advance multiple policy objectives simultaneously.

What They're Saying:

The markup session generated significant debate, particularly over higher education measures. While some bills passed unanimously, others exposed fundamental disagreements about federal authority and campus autonomy.

Robert C. Scott (D-VA), the committee's Ranking Member, challenged the necessity and scope of several bills. On the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act, Scott noted that there has not been a single documented case of a college administration adopting a BDS policy as described in the legislation. He argued the bill addresses a problem that does not exist.

Scott also raised concerns about the Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act, which protects students' abilities to form and join single-sex organizations. He noted the bill was originally supported on both sides of the aisle as a bipartisan priority but said poison pill amendments added at the 11th hour undermined that support.

The partisan voting patterns reflected these tensions. Bills targeting higher education passed on largely party-line votes. The No Antisemitism in Education Act passed 20-12. The Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act fared better at 24-9. The Student Protection and University Accountability Act passed 18-15, along with the Freedom of Association Act and Equal Campus Access Act, all 18-15.

In contrast, bills addressing federal workers' compensation and professional licensing achieved near-unanimous support. The SHARE Act on occupational licensing reciprocity passed 33-0. The Health Care for Energy Workers Act passed 32-0. The Federal Workers' Compensation Integrity and Care Act and the Putting Patients First provider accountability measure both passed 33-0.

Democrats offered multiple amendments opposing the higher education bills. Scott offered amendments to the Student Protection and University Accountability Act, all of which failed 15-18. He offered another amendment on the Freedom of Association Act that also failed 15-18. Rep. Lucy McBath offered an amendment on the Equal Campus Access Act that failed 15-18. Rep. Mark Takano offered an amendment on the Health Data Access, Transparency, and Affordability Act that failed 15-18.

The voting records suggest a committee split along ideological lines on campus policy but willing to work together on worker protections and professional licensing. The committee included 21 Republican members and 16 Democratic members, giving Republicans a comfortable majority for floor votes on the education bills.

The Substantive Debate

The markup hearing addressed specific policy proposals with technical detail. The No Antisemitism in Education Act establishes minimum standards for Title VI procedures and requires congressional briefings on Title VI investigations. The bill responds to concerns that colleges have inadequately addressed antisemitic conduct on campus.

The Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act targets what Republicans describe as discriminatory campus speech policies. The bill has drawn particular scrutiny from Democrats, who argue it addresses hypothetical harms rather than documented problems.

The Freedom of Association in Higher Education Act protects students' abilities to form and join single-sex organizations and prohibits colleges from taking action against student organizations because they are single-sex. This measure reflects conservative concerns about campus speech restrictions and organizational autonomy.

The Equal Campus Access Act requires public colleges that receive federal student aid to treat religious student groups equally to any other student organization on campus. This bill addresses concerns that some campuses have restricted religious student groups' access to campus facilities or funding.

The SHARE Act improves interstate licensure compacts by enabling state licensing boards to access federal background check data. This measure has broad support because it addresses a practical problem affecting healthcare professionals and other licensed workers.

The Health Care for Energy Workers Act allows nurse practitioners and physician assistants to order care for current and former Department of Energy workers receiving care under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. This bill expands healthcare provider flexibility in a specific federal program.

The Federal Workers' Compensation Integrity and Care Act allows the Secretary of Labor to obtain earnings and employment information from the Social Security Administration and Department of Health and Human Services to detect and prevent improper payments under the Federal Employees Compensation Act program. The bill targets fraud in federal workers' compensation.

The Putting Patients First provider accountability measure allows the Labor Secretary to suspend FECA program payments to medical providers convicted of fraud involving FECA-related or other federal health care benefit programs. This bill strengthens enforcement mechanisms against fraudulent providers.

The AI Workforce Assessment and Research Enhancement Act directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics to collect information on the use of artificial intelligence in workplaces across the country. The bill reflects growing congressional interest in understanding AI's labor market impacts.

The Health Data Access, Transparency, and Affordability Act amends ERISA to give employers' health plans the right to access critical cost, quality, and claims information. The bill aims to increase healthcare cost transparency.

Political Stakes

The markup hearing reflects the Trump administration's priorities on education policy. The administration has signaled support for addressing antisemitism on campuses and protecting the administration's version of campus free speech, making these bills aligned with executive branch preferences.

For Democrats, the votes reveal their limited leverage in a Republican-controlled committee. They could offer amendments and make arguments, but lacked the votes to block legislation. The narrow margins on some bills—18-15—show Democratic unity in opposition but also the limited power of the minority party in markup sessions.

The bipartisan votes on workers' compensation and professional licensing suggest areas where Congress can find common ground. These bills address practical problems affecting workers and licensed professionals, transcending partisan divisions.

For the committee itself, the markup demonstrates the Republican agenda on education policy. The focus on campus antisemitism, free speech protections, and student organization rights reflects conservative priorities. The bills suggest Republicans will continue pushing federal authority into areas traditionally left to colleges and universities.

The voting patterns also suggest potential floor vulnerabilities. Bills passing 18-15 face questions about whether they can survive House floor votes, where margins are even tighter. The unanimous votes on workers' compensation bills suggest those measures have stronger support.

The Other Side: Democratic Concerns About Overreach

Democrats raised substantive objections to the higher education bills beyond simple partisan opposition. Scott's argument that no college has adopted a BDS policy as described in the legislation suggests the bill addresses a hypothetical rather than documented problem.

The concern about amendments added to the Freedom of Association Act at the 11th hour reflects broader Democratic frustrations about legislative process. If the bill was originally bipartisan, the addition of controversial amendments represents a shift in the bill's nature and scope.

Democrats also appear concerned that the bills expand federal authority over campus policies in ways that could restrict institutional autonomy. The Equal Campus Access Act and other measures mandate specific treatment of student groups, which could be seen as federal micromanagement of campus life.

These concerns suggest Democrats will likely oppose the bills on the House floor and may offer amendments to modify their scope or strike provisions they view as overreach.

What's Next

The bills now move toward House floor consideration, though no specific vote schedule has been announced. Bills passing with narrow margins like 18-15 may face challenges on the floor, where margins are tighter and more members may have concerns about specific provisions.

The bipartisan bills on workers' compensation and professional licensing appear likely to advance smoothly. These measures have strong committee support and address practical problems with broad agreement.

The higher education bills will face more scrutiny on the floor. Democratic amendments, if offered, could attempt to narrow the bills' scope or strike controversial provisions. The narrow committee votes suggest these bills are not assured of passage in their current form.

The committee may also consider whether to hold additional hearings on these bills before floor votes. The markup hearing itself involved no external witnesses, focusing solely on committee debate and amendments. Floor consideration may generate requests for additional testimony or analysis.

The Bottom Line

The House Education and Workforce Committee advanced a conservative education agenda while revealing deep partisan divisions over federal authority in campus policy, even as Republicans and Democrats found common ground on worker protections and professional licensing.

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