By Hugh T. Ferguson, NASFAA Staff Reporter
Following a lengthy delay, the Senate in a bipartisan vote of 58-37 formally approved James Kvaal’s nomination to serve as Department of Education (ED) undersecretary. With Kvaal now installed, he joins ED amid the beginning stages of the negotiated rulemaking process — touching on regulatory issues concerning student loan lending and gainful employment — and will assist in the impending wind down of the federal student loan moratorium that will require ED to transition federal student loan borrowers back into repayment.
In his confirmation vote, Kvaal garnered significant support from a number of Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee Republicans, including ranking member Richard Burr, Susan Collins, Bill Cassidy, Roger Marshall, Mitt Romney, and Tim Scott. An additional three Republicans supported the confirmation.
Publication Date: 9/15/2021
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