The U.S. Senate Committee approved Nicholas Kent's nomination as under secretary of education in a contentious vote. Kent, an outspoken critic of the Biden administration and former lobbyist for for-profit colleges, faced both support and criticism from various educational organizations. Concerns were raised about lack of hearings on his affiliations and past legal settlements involving his former employer. Nevertheless, some believe Kent's leadership could foster innovation and alleviate regulatory burdens. A final Senate vote will determine his confirmation, succeeding acting under secretary James Bergeron.
His nomination earned a mix of support and concern from higher education associations and advocates, some of whom viewed it as a worrying harbinger of the Trump administration's plans to reduce federal regulation.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont, voted no on Kent's nomination Thursday morning, saying, 'We should not be confirming a former lobbyist who represented for-profit colleges to oversee higher education.'
Collection
[
|
...
]