The ugly truth about the student loan caps in Trump's ‘big beautiful' law
The bill, now signed into law, will cap graduate unsubsidized student loans at $20,500, with a $100,000 total cap on top of undergrad loans, and phase out Grad PLUS loans. These changes are especially detrimental for those pursuing clinician roles, such as nurse practitioners. Nurse practitioners play a crucial role, filling gaps in primary care — especially in rural and underserved communities. Their presence expands access, relieves pressure on healthcare systems and allows physicians to focus on the most complex cases.
Graduate education is not optional for becoming a nurse practitioner. Nor is it optional for becoming faculty to teach the next generation of physicians and nurses. Weakening the pipeline of advanced practice nurses doesn't just hurt nursing, it threatens the entire care delivery system.
For nursing, this is a moment where education is already strained. Nurses have left the profession en masse since the COVID-19 pandemic and older nurses are retiring. We urgently need more nurses and nurse educators in the pipeline. Yet in 2023, enrollment in bachelor's-level nursing programs grew by just 0.3 percent. Meanwhile, enrollment in master's and Ph.D. nursing programs declined by 0.9 percent and 3.1 percent, respectively. That same year, U.S. nursing schools turned away more than 65,000 qualified applications due to a lack of faculty, clinical placements and funding — not because of a lack of interest.
Faculty shortages are especially dire. Nearly 2,000 full-time faculty vacancies remain unfilled nationwide, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. These positions require a master's or doctoral degree — precisely the kind of education now placed at risk by this legislation. Without nurse educators, we cannot train the next generation of nurses at any level.
This law also directly contradicts the Make America Healthy Again initiative, which calls on healthcare systems to take on chronic disease through prevention. Nurses make up the largest segment of the healthcare workforce. Their education emphasizes prevention and whole-person care for people and communities. Nurses are central to the shift from reactive 'sick care' to proactive prevention, so restricting their ability to enter the profession is not just shortsighted, it's self-defeating.
A diminished nursing workforce will trigger a familiar cycle: reduced access, longer wait times, more chronic disease and an even more overwhelmed workforce. And these consequences won't be limited to nurses — they will affect physicians, hospitals, insurers and, most of all, everyday Americans.
This is a national health issue. While the bill has passed, it is not too late to mitigate its harm. Policymakers must find alternative solutions, from scholarship expansion to loan forgiveness, to ensure access to graduate nursing education remains within reach. We cannot solve a workforce shortage and a chronic disease crisis by cutting off the professionals trained to fix it.
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USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
'Flood' of ICE agents is coming to cities run by Democrats, White House warns
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Sanctuary cities won't help with ICE arrests The White House has repeatedly singled out cities from Los Angeles to Denver to Boston for their refusal to assist ICE agents making detentions, and Homan has threatened to arrest elected officials who stymie the president. Migrant-rights groups warn increased enforcement raises the risk of more civil rights violations and violent confrontations, like the chaotic protests that broke out in Los Angeles last month following Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids at a Home Depot, among other locations. Homan spoke in New York City after an off-duty Border Patrol agent was injured during an attempted robbery that officials say was committed by an undocumented immigrant. Homan and other White House officials argue the agent would never have been hurt if his alleged assailant had previously been blocked from entering the country or deported. Trump officials have long complained that many cities run by Democrats refuse to honor requests to detain people on behalf of ICE in local jails, and Homan said doing so makes it harder for ICE to arrest "bad guys" in the safety of a detention center. He said making street arrests is more dangerous for everyone, requiring more personnel to operate safely. Federal officials say there's been an 800% increase in assaults against immigration agents, although they have declined to release comprehensive data. Last month, Trump deployed the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles to help protect federal buildings and assist ICE agents in making detentions, a move that temporarily escalated tensions. ICE has conducted immigration enforcement actions around the country, but it's yet to focus a sustained effort in any particular sanctuary city outside of the Los Angeles area. 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Many immigrants living in the United States entered under policies that were legal at the time, or have been waiting years for the chance to apply for citizenship. 'Throwing billions at detention centers and enforcement agents is short-sighted. Instead, we should be investing in a system aimed at welcoming immigrants that contribute billions to our economy,' said Adriel Orozco, senior policy counsel at the American Immigration Council. 'We don't need more jail beds and indiscriminate raids. We need balanced solutions that strengthen due process and keep families together.'
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Forget eggs, beef prices are soaring
Last August, then-candidate and former President Donald Trump promised to reduce the prices on everyday essentials on his first day in the Oval Office. "When I win, I will immediately bring prices down, starting on Day One,"Trump said at the time, according to CNN. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter While there have been some improvements, the latest data indicated that prices continue to rise, primarily for necessities such as food and housing. Experts agree that the inflation rate in the U.S. over the last few years is the worst in decades. The global pandemic started the surging prices show, due to lockdowns, disruptions in the supply chain, and everything in between. The challenge continues, and it is likely to increase due to new obstacles, such as tariffs. Before the 2024 presidential election, inflation notably dropped but remained above pre-pandemic levels. Related: Major grocery chain confirms closure of five locations The consumer price index (CPI) increased 2.7% in the 12 months through June, while fruit and vegetable prices were 0.9% higher. Goldman Sachs Global Co-head of Fixed Income and Liquidity Solutions Kay Haigh says we are only seeing "some early signs of tariff impact," reports CBS News. Over the last couple of months, egg prices have dropped; however, they were up more than 41% on a year-over-year basis. On July 9, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the State of California, Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and other state officials, arguing that the state's laws on the production of eggs and poultry products nationally violate the U.S. Constitution. Related: FDA says yes to controversial new seafood delicacy The law enacted on January 1, 2022, requires that all eggs produced and sold in California (even though they are produced in another state) must be procured only from hens in cage-free housing. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins slammed California for hurting consumers by raising egg prices and said, "It is one thing if California passes laws that affect its own State; it is another when those laws affect other States in violation of the U.S. Constitution." The news raised serious concerns and various reactions among consumers. Many agreed that eggs from cage-free hens, which are proven to be healthier by various studies, should be the norm, while others said it is important to have a choice of regular, cheaper eggs. Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet, and 87% of Americans consume them at least weekly. 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While the USDA recently announced a phased reopening of cattle, bison, and equine imports from Mexico, another challenge for global supply chains is on its way: a new 50% U.S. tariff on Brazilian imports, which starts on August 1. Reuters reported that Brazil, which accounts for about 23% of all U.S. beef imports, is reconsidering shipments due to tariffs. Data from the latest USDA Census of Agriculture report from February 2024 indicated that the number of farms in the U.S. has dropped by more than 141,000 from 2017 to 2022. Demand for beef continues to rise in the U.S., and it is projected that per capita beef consumption will grow 2.7% by 2025, above growth in consumption of broilers (2.3%) and pork (1.7%). Beef is an important food staple in the U.S., providing essential nutrients. According to Beef Cattle Research Council, a 100-gram serving of cooked beef provides 250 calories, 35 grams of protein, 10 grams of fat and 19% of the daily recommended value (DV) of iron, 77% DV of zinc, and 102% DV of B12. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
WebMD
3 hours ago
- WebMD
Why COVID Spikes in the Summer, and How to Stay Safe
With cases climbing again, you might be wondering why a "winter virus" keeps returning in the heat, and what you should be doing right now to protect yourself. "A couple of months ago, experts were uncertain about a summer wave," said Jodie Guest, PhD, an epidemiologist at Emory University in Atlanta who has tracked COVID since the start of the pandemic. "The low levels of respiratory illness in spring 2025 and stable variant landscape suggested a quiet summer." But three key indicators now have COVID watchdogs sounding the alarm: a new virus strain, increasing wastewater levels, and emergency room visit upticks in parts of the U.S. The CDC now lists the "COVID-19 epidemic trend" as growing or likely growing for more than half of U.S. states. The strongest indicators were seen in Arkansas, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. Here's what to know about summer COVID, and how to protect yourself – especially if you have a summer vacation or travel coming up. I thought COVID was a big risk during flu season. Did something change? No, COVID has always had two waves, about six months apart – one in the summer and the other at the height of winter "respiratory season," when flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) also rage. The winter wave typically peaks sometime between "December and February, coinciding with colder weather and increased indoor gatherings," said Guest, senior vice chair of the Department of Epidemiology at Emory's Rollins School of Public Health. "Summer waves have occurred sporadically, often driven by new variants or waning immunity." Here's when COVID peaked the past three summers: 2022: Around Aug. 1 2023: Around Sept. 30 2024: Around Aug. 31 This timing has prompted some experts to theorize that summer waves may be linked to people spending more time indoors with air conditioning during the height of summer heat. Why are there two COVID waves, but influenza only spikes once per year? Some scientists point to rapid mutations and waning immunity from past infection or vaccination. "A big chunk of people will get sick in a wave, and they'll have pretty good immunity to that particular variant, and that immunity is enough to sort of stop that wave in its tracks," said Emily Landon, MD, an infectious disease specialist at UChicago Medicine in Illinois. The virus then needs to change enough to evade existing immunity before another cycle starts back up. A second theory suggests there are three distinct groups of people – a summer group, a winter group, and a group that gets infected twice a year. The idea is based on the idea that people vary in how long they're immune after infection, vaccination, or both. Scientists still need more data to know for sure, "but the bottom line is we're certainly seeing a big increase in cases in the summer and a big increase of cases in the winter," Landon said. Is this surge caused by the new variant? Yes, partly. NB.1.8.1 – or Nimbus – has been on the rise in Asia recently, and it now accounts for as many as 43% of new cases in the U.S., up from 24% at the beginning of June, according to CDC data. It's the variant known for a " razor blade" sore throat symptom, although it doesn't appear to cause more severe illness than other versions of the virus, Landon said. This geographic pattern has become pretty set: A rising variant in Asia or Europe typically foreshadows a rise in the U.S., said Sabrina A. Assoumou, MD, MPH, an infectious disease doctor and professor at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Another regional clue: "We have typically seen that the [U.S.] rise in cases starts in the South," said Assoumou. She noted that some of the highest wastewater levels of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) are in Florida and Alabama right now. "This is often followed by increases in other parts of the nation such as the Northeast." How can I protect myself from summer COVID? Make sure your vaccination is current. If you got a COVID shot last winter, you're probably good, Landon said. But if you're 65 or older, immunocompromised, or have a health condition that puts you at high risk – the CDC website maintains a list of qualifying conditions – ask your health care provider if you need a booster now. People with upcoming travel should consider a booster, too. Landon, who has rheumatoid arthritis and receives treatment that affects her immune system, just got a booster because she's going on vacation soon. "I want the best protection since I know that we're seeing the beginning of a summer spike," she said. Remember that masks are still an effective tool. If you're traveling, wear a mask like an N-95, KN-95, or KF-94, and make it as snug as you can tolerate. Don't just wear it on the plane; wear it while lining up to board, too. It is OK to slip it down to sip a drink or eat a snack while in flight. "I would absolutely recommend that everyone wear a mask on an airplane," Landon said. "The last thing you want is even any kind of cold, let alone COVID, when you're on vacation." Pack some COVID tests in your travel bag. If you know you have COVID, you can consider starting antiviral medication right away, which can reduce your risk of hospitalization. Maybe bring a Paxlovid prescription too. If you're older or have a condition that puts you at high risk, ask your doctor to prescribe Paxlovid or another antiviral called molnupiravir to bring with you in case you get sick. Ask sick people to stay home. If you're planning a summer party, Landon suggested adding a note to the bottom of the invite that says, "We have some high-risk people coming. If you're not feeling well, we'll take a pass and meet up with you another time when you're feeling better." Some people feel obligated to attend parties even when they aren't feeling well. "Letting them know that they're off the hook if they're sick and that you really don't want them to come if they're sick is a really important way that you can help protect your own health and help other people to do the right thing," Landon said.
