1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

Uphold Congressional Oversight: Stop the Department of Education's Political Interference in Accreditation I am writing to urge immediate congressional action regarding the Department of Education's recent move to strip federal recognition from the American Bar Association’s (ABA) accrediting council. Department staff has recommended denying the ABA’s federal recognition following administration efforts targeting the body’s standards and political independence. Department officials have publicly cited ideological motives, framing accreditation as a tool to impose policy preferences rather than preserve educational standards. Weaponizing federal oversight to undermine independent accrediting bodies sets a dangerous precedent. Overreaching executive actions threaten academic freedom, institutional self-governance, and the integrity of professional legal education. Congress must exercise its statutory authority under the Higher Education Act to inspect these administrative actions, investigate potential abuses of power within the Department of Education, and ensure federal agency actions remain bound by objective standards rather than Heritage Foundation directives.