Federal Update - March 11

March 11, 2026

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS HIGHLIGHTS

Burgess Owens Departing: Education Subcommittee Chair to Retire 

Workforce Pell Regs: Comment Window Open Until April 8 

BURGESS OWENS TO RETIRE

What You Need to Know 

Since joining Congress five years ago, Representative Burgess Owens (R-UT) has been a strong and consistent advocate for our sector. During his time in office, he rose to become Chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, giving him a significant platform to support policies important to our industry. Last week, he announced that he will retire at the end of his term in January 2027. 

Why This Is Important 

Owens’ retirement appears to be tied to Utah’s recent judicial redistricting, which shifted Representative Blake Moore’s (R-UT) district into solidly Democratic territory. Rather than forcing four Republican incumbents to compete for three viable seats, Owens’ decision to step aside clears the way for the remaining Utah House members to run without intraparty conflict. While he continues to serve, AACS will maintain close engagement with his team and work to build additional long-term allies in Congress.  

WORKFORCE PELL RULE OPEN FOR COMMENT

What You Need to Know 

As AACS shared late last week, ED published the proposed rule for the new Workforce Pell program on Monday. The proposed rule is currently open for public comment, which are due by April 8. The proposal reflects the consensus reached during the first AHEAD rulemaking session in December 2025 and reflects changes mandated by OB3.  

The proposal would extend Pell Grant eligibility to short‑term workforce programs offering 150 to 599 clock hours over at least eight, but fewer than fifteen, weeks. Programs would need approval from a governor and meet required completion and job placement benchmarks. If implemented as proposed, the Workforce Pell regulations would take effect July 1, 2026. 

Why This Is Important 

Workforce Pell marks a major expansion of short‑term training eligibility and members of both political parties have proposed the expansion. While this rule is moving forward, the separate Accountability Framework negotiated during AHEAD’s second session has not yet been released. AACS will keep members updated on all major rulemaking milestones at ED.