Comment on FR Doc # 2026-13248

Dear Education Department: The proposed changes may be framed as a regulatory reform, but they also create significant uncertainty about the future of the Fulbright-Hays program. Thi program has long served national interests by developing expertise in foreign languages, area studies, and international education—areas that are increasingly important in a competitive global economy. Even the Education Department acknowledges that the statutory purpose of this program is to produce trained personnel, expand research, strengthen language acquisition, and support U.S. competitiveness through international education. Reducing regulatory protections or creating pathways that could ultimately diminish support for this program risks undermining decades of successful investment in America's educational and strategic capacity. The flexibility sought by the Education Department should not come at the expense of stable, transparent funding for programs that have consistently prepared educators, researchers, public servants, and business leaders with critical language and cultural expertise. In an era of growing geopolitical competition, the United States needs more—not fewer—opportunities to develop proficiency in less commonly taught languages and deepen regional expertise. I strongly urge the Education Department to preserve robust funding and support for the Fulbright-Hays program. If modernization is needed, it should strengthen this initiative rather than weaken the institutional infrastructure that has made the program successful. Maintaining investment levels and current criteria is consistent with the program's statutory mission to advance U.S. national needs, workforce readiness, and international competitiveness while ensuring that future generations have the knowledge and skills necessary to engage effectively with an increasingly interconnected world.