1. United States
2. Utah
3. Letter

On May 22nd, House Republicans narrowly passed H.R. 1, aka the "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act, a bill that contains provisions that would significantly hike taxes on "woke" colleges and universities. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed during the first Trump administration, introduced a 1.4% excuse tax on college endowments, targeting few dozen of the country's wealthiest universities. This new budget bill will raise the rate to up to 21%. While the aim is to debilitate "woke, elite universities," the bill would also impact many smaller schools, regardless of their political leanings. Research from the National Association of College and Business Officers found that nearly half of endowment spending in 2024 went toward providing student aid. However, this tax hike could cost prolific research institutions like Harvard University up to $850 million a year, affecting their ability to enroll lower-income students and continue funding the academic research programs that lead to major innovations in medicine, science, technology, and other fields. These provisions in H.R. 1 further the Trump administration's continuous attacks on higher education which not only threaten students but also endanger the "freedom to pursue knowledge, the freedom of expression and the freedom of speech". Instead of gutting our most valuable resources, we need a budget that protects access to education and the freedom to pursue knowledge.