The Leader’s Floor Lookout: Week of June 1, 2026

Federal student aid programs provide loans, grants, and work-study assistance to help students afford a post-secondary education. But increasingly, fraudsters are exploiting the system by posing as fake "ghost students" and stealing taxpayer-funded aid.

A lack of financial means should never prevent a student from pursuing an education. Yet every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar that cannot go to a deserving student.

In FY24, 9.9 million students received $120.8 billion in aid through the Office of Federal Student Aid. That same year, California online colleges reported that 34% of aid applicants were likely fraudulent, underscoring the need for stronger safeguards.

This week, House Republicans are advancing legislation to combat student aid fraud by requiring the Department of Education to use detection systems to identify suspicious FAFSA applications. Flagged applicants would be required to verify their identity through an in-person meeting or video call before receiving aid. In a 2025 pilot program, the Department estimated these safeguards saved taxpayers more than $1 billion.

H.R. 7892, the No Aid for Ghost Students Act, by Rep. Burgess Owens, tackles fraud in student aid by requiring the Secretary of Education to use a detection system to review, identify, and investigate suspicious FAFSA applications before any aid is distributed. The legislation also strengthens accountability by prioritizing audits of schools that recklessly distribute aid to unscreened or suspicious applicants.

House Republicans will preserve student aid for hardworking and deserving students who have earned it, while carefully protecting federal funds.

Every day, farmers and ranchers across Rural America work to provide the nation with a safe and reliable food supply. Congress has a responsibility to support them through responsible appropriations.

The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2027, invests in agricultural research, rural development programs, and food inspection services. It also cuts burdensome Biden-era regulations on livestock producers and provides $8 billion for WIC, helping low-income mothers access healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables.

To support President Trump's Make America Healthy Again agenda, the bill provides $7.1 billion for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strengthen oversight of the nation's food, drug, and medical device supply.

The legislation also addresses national security concerns posed by Chinese-owned farmland by increasing oversight of foreign-owned agricultural land. In addition, it invests in land-grant universities to ensure American agricultural research continues to outcompete China.

Rep. Andy Harris’s measure, H.R. 8646, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Act, 2027, is on the House floor to protect Americans’ food and drug supply, prioritize Americans’ health, and equip America to compete against our adversaries, while upholding the GOP’s commitment to fiscal responsibility through regular order appropriations.

House Republicans remain committed to supporting American agriculture, protecting the food supply, and strengthening our nation's security.