White House Ballroom Meeting Delayed March 5th National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) Meeting on the White House Ballroom
The National Capital Planning Commission delayed its March 5th vote on President Trump's proposed White House ballroom until next month after receiving a flood of critical public comments raising concerns about cost, priorities, and process. This resulted partially from a coordinated grassroots campaign between AIA National and AIA DC where we asked members to submit official comments and sign-up to present their concerns in person in front of the Commission. AIA will continue working with AIA DC and others to encourage supporters to stay engaged and advocate on behalf of a sound historic preservation process and smart design. The next Commission hearing will be held next month where we expect the Commission to approve the ballroom plan.
Professional Federal Designation of Architecture
AIA and the Architecture Organizations Alliance submitted detailed comments to the U.S. Department of Education on its restructuring of what degree programs are labeled "professional" for the purpose of qualifying for higher annual and lifetime borrowing limits. The comments urge the Agency to recognize architecture and similar licensed professions within the professional category and to reject caps that would make advanced degrees even less accessible to students from modest-income backgrounds. You can read the submitted comments here. A summary of the comments can be found here.
Additionally, AIA and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ASCA) are partnering to host meetings with members of Congress in states where there are no B.Arch programs within state lines to request their support for the three bills AIA is endorsing on this issue, including:
- H.R. 6574, which removes the distinction between graduate and professional student, making the cap the same for everyone.
- H.R. 6718, which codifies architecture as a professional degree alongside other licensure-based fields, ensuring students can access the federal loan limits they need to complete their education, or
- H.R. 6677, which restores the loan structure that existed before recent arbitrary loan caps were proposed.
You can participate in this congressional outreach by signing up here.
Senate Proposes New "ROAD to Housing Act"
The Senate recently unveiled the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a new bipartisan package that serves as the upper chamber's counterpart to the House-passed Housing for the 21st Century Act. Led by Senators Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren, the bill combines key provisions from the Senate passed 2025 ROAD to Housing Act with elements of the House Housing for the 21st Century bill. The House and Senate will need to reconcile the two bills later this year into a single, comprehensive housing reform package. AIA is tracking both chambers to determine and advocate for our housing priorities.
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Courtney Prentiss, AIA, NOMA, NCARB
AIA Government Affairs Committee Member
Immediate Past NAC At-Large Director, Advocacy
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