The Oregon Nurses Association is praising Dan Rayfield for joining a lawsuit challenging a U.S. Department of Education rule that would limit access to federal student loans for healthcare workers pursuing advanced professional degrees.
In a statement released this week, the union said the rule, enacted under the Trump administration, would create major financial barriers for nurses, physician associates, therapists and other healthcare professionals seeking additional education and training. ONA leaders argued the policy would disproportionately affect students from lower-income households and historically underrepresented communities by pushing them toward higher-interest private loans.
The organization said the rule threatens a long-standing pathway to economic opportunity for women, working families and immigrants who have traditionally entered healthcare professions through affordable higher education programs.
ONA also warned the restrictions could worsen ongoing healthcare workforce shortages in Oregon and across the country by discouraging frontline caregivers from advancing their education.
“Cutting access to affordable federal student loans for frontline healthcare workers is reckless, short-sighted, and dangerous for patients and communities,” the association said in its statement.
The union further criticized the Trump administration, accusing it of placing additional financial strain on working-class families while undermining the healthcare system during a time of critical staffing shortages.
ONA thanked Rayfield for supporting healthcare workers and patients through the legal challenge, calling the rule “unfair and inequitable.”
The Oregon Nurses Association represents more than 25,000 nurses and healthcare professionals across Oregon and advocates for healthcare access, workplace conditions and patient care improvements statewide.
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