On May 22, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which aims to review and adjust funding for federal programs throughout the U.S., according to Congress.
The act has not been passed by the Senate. But, if it does, programs such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and Pell Grants could see major restructuring and changes in eligibility requirements if the act passes, which would make educational access much more difficult for millions of students across the U.S., along with federal programs.
It would also eliminate an undergraduate student’s ability to receive subsidized loans, a type of loan that has the interest covered by the U.S. Department of Education while the student attends their school.
President Donald Trump has praised the act, believing it to be a great opportunity for economic development in America. In a meeting between Trump and Germany Chancellor Friedrich Merz on June 5, Trump said the act would promote financial growth.
“I am right about the great, big, beautiful bill. We call it a great, big, beautiful bill because that’s what it is,” Trump said. “And, again, biggest tax cuts in history, biggest economic development moves anywhere. We’ve never done anything like it. Business is spurred.”
But not everyone is sold. Some students at the University of Minnesota, such as Sofia Gandia, believe their educational future is at risk with the act reaching the Senate.
Gandia, a rising senior and strategic communications student, said she fears the potential of the act being passed, as she relies heavily on federal aid to help pay for her tuition.
“It is extremely worrisome as someone who does get Pell Grants and a lot of help from the state of Minnesota,” Gandia said.
Gandia said the bill could derail her track to graduation for next spring.
“I am worried that I won’t be able to graduate, I’ve been working towards my degree very slowly paying for it myself,” Gandia said. “To see it in this last year and be able to almost touch the finish line, but then have it potentially ripped away.”
Gandia is not the only student who worries about the impact of the act. Amina Abas, a rising senior and computer science student, said she feels an overwhelming majority of the University of Minnesota’s student body would likely be impacted by Trump’s bill.
“This is a really diverse school, it’s a lot of different people, a lot of lower-income people that are getting opportunities to be here because of these grants and scholarships,” Abas said.
Abas also said she believes her academic future could be in jeopardy if the act passes.
“I don’t pay much out of pocket, but one semester, I forgot to do the healthcare thing, and that killed me. So I can’t imagine what it’s like to not have the rest of my school paid,” Abbas said.
Jane L. Sumner, associate professor of Political Science at the University of Minnesota, said the act has a much wider economic impact than just higher education. She believes that, if passed, the act could raise the debt and be a detriment to economic growth, hurting students as they enter the job market.
“The other issues seem to be, not so much student-specific, but for anyone intending to enter the workforce in the next few years,” Sumner said. “The effect on the deficit and the debt could potentially slow economic growth and hiring, although that’s very hard to forecast.”