Senate to Vote on Kvaal Nomination Following Hearing
Hugh T. Ferguson
April 16, 2021
James Kvaal’s nomination to serve as Department of Education (ED) under secretary cleared a procedural hurdle on Thursday with bipartisan accolades coming from the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee.
While members looked to garner additional insight into Kvaal’s higher education policy stances, the hearing’s partisan divide mostly pertained to the issue of debt forgiveness and costs surrounding postsecondary education, which Kvaal appeared to successfully placate throughout his remarks.
The higher education community has largely praised Kvaal’s nomination and during Thursday’s hearing, committee chair Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) touted his prior work in the Obama administration which ranged from strengthening Pell Grants, simplifying the FAFSA, supporting student loan borrowers, and working to increase state and federal investments in higher education.
Murray said that Kvaal, previously president of the Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS), was clearly qualified for the position and that he will be able to tackle the challenges higher education faces in light of the pandemic.
