This week on "Off The Cuff," Melanie and Karen discuss three new House bills focused on preventing fraud in the student aid programs, all of which were advanced by the House Education and Workforce Committee this week. Karen explains what each of the three bills would do and how they would impact institutions. From there, Melanie discusses what's happening with the Department of Education's (ED) Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS) reporting requirement following a federal judge's temporary injunction blocking ED from enforcing its March 18 deadline. The team also discusses updates from Federal Student Aid (FSA), including when final rules are expected for the RISE and AHEAD negotiated rulemaking sessions and when recordings of the FSA training conference will be available to the public. Finally, Melanie gives a brief update on what NASFAA knows about an influx of institutions receiving borrower defense claims. 

Speakers

Melanie Storey President and CEO	Karen McCarthy Vice President of of Public Policy and Federal Relations	Maria Carrasco Reporter

This episode of Off The Cuff is brought to you by our NASFAA 2026 National Conference.

Registration is now open for the NASFAA 2026 National Conference taking place June 29 - July 2, 2026, in National Harbor, MD. As you know, there are significant changes underway in the world of federal student financial aid policy. NASFAA 2026 will offer critical and timely professional development to help your institution remain compliant, informed, and student-focused. This conference will bring together thousands of aid professionals for in-depth training on regulatory updates, implementation strategies, and emerging best practices. Register online at nasfaa.org/conference by May 1 to take advantage of early bird discounts.

Resources

• Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
• Episode Transcript (PDF)
• House Education Committee Advances Student Aid Fraud Prevention Bills
• Judge Delays Trump Administration’s Enforcement of ACTS Reporting Deadline
• AIR: Conditional Extensions May Be Granted Through April 8 for ACTS Reporting Requirement
• FSA Training Conference Website

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