Senate Keeps Graduate Loan Caps in Place as July 1 Looms

Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic bid to repeal Trump-era regulations that create new federal graduate loan caps, with the new rules set to take effect on July 1 under the One Big, Beautiful Bill; the reforms include eliminating Grad PLUS, capping aggregate borrowing at $200,000, and limiting Parent PLUS loans while undergraduate lending remains largely unchanged. Critics say the caps shield borrowers from predatory lenders, while supporters warn they could burden health-care education and staffing, particularly in graduate nursing programs; the measure to reverse the rules failed along party lines.