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Statement on Senate Reconciliation Bill Passage

A pharmacist holds medication and paperwork.

For Immediate Release

Arlington, Va.—The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) is disappointed with many of the provisions still included in the reconciliation bill passed by the U.S. Senate today, particularly regarding elements of the bill reducing funding for higher education, eliminating Grad PLUS Loans and imposing unacceptable loan limits for graduate and professional students. 

These policy shifts, if enacted, will create new barriers to pharmacy education at a time when our country faces a shortage of pharmacists across a range of settings—from community pharmacy and practice in rural clinics to hospitals, specialty care, and those working in public health. [1]

The proposed changes risk shrinking the pharmacy pipeline, destabilizing pharmacy schools, and ultimately jeopardizing patient access to essential pharmacist services.

While we acknowledge the removal of the risk-sharing provision from the Senate reconciliation bill as a positive step, more progress is needed to ensure that federal student loan policies are equitable and supportive of student success without placing undue burdens on institutions or borrowers. 

We once again urge the House to reconsider these provisions in the context of our nation’s urgent pharmacy workforce needs. The proposed changes risk shrinking the pharmacy pipeline, destabilizing pharmacy schools, and ultimately jeopardizing patient access to essential pharmacist services.

[1] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pharmacists. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Updated April 2025. Accessed May 22, 2025. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacists.htm

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