U.S. Department of Education Names Matthew Feehan, J.D., Primary Negotiator for Student Veterans and Service Members
- Combat Veterans of America
- Nov 11
- 4 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: CVA National Commander Brandon M. Barron, J.D.CVA Vice National Commander Brian Nichols
Phone: (910) 967-4109
Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has appointed Matthew Feehan, J.D., to serve as its Primary Negotiator on the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) Committee, part of the Department’s upcoming Negotiated Rulemaking (NegReg) sessions.
In this role, Feehan will represent student veterans, active-duty service members pursuing higher education, and the organizations that advocate for them.
The NegReg sessions will be held December 8–12, 2025, and January 5–9, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time each day at the U.S. Department of Education headquarters, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20202. Both AHEAD Committee sessions will be livestreamed for public viewing via the Department’s website (www.ed.gov). The Department will post a registration link on its website no later than one week prior to the start of the Committee’s negotiations.
Feehan was nominated by the Veterans Education Project (VEP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing educational opportunities, transparency, and fair treatment for student veterans, service members, and their families. The organization advocates for policies that strengthen access to quality higher education and protect the integrity of federal student aid programs serving the military and veteran community.
Combat Veterans of America (CVA), a partner organization of the Veterans Education Project, has voiced its support for the Department’s decision to select Feehan as the primary negotiator representing student veterans, active-duty students, and advocacy organizations.
CVA, which became a recognized Veterans Service Organization in August 2025, said Feehan’s appointment reflects his ongoing commitment to advancing the interests of the veteran community. Feehan serves on CVA’s board and holds the position of Director of Government Affairs.
“The appointment of Matthew Feehan as a Primary Negotiator for the U.S. Department of Education’s student veteran negotiated rulemaking committee is a significant step forward for every veteran pursuing higher education,” said CVA National Commander Brandon M. Barron, J.D. “Matt represents exactly what CVA stands for, integrity, service, and a relentless commitment to improving the systems that affect those who served. His selection by the Department underscores both his credibility and the growing influence of a new generation of veteran leadership. We are proud to stand behind him as he advocates for accountability, access, and the educational rights our veterans have earned.”
The AHEAD Committee, as part of the Department’s NegReg, will be addressing:
1. Changes in institutional and programmatic accountability measures, including loss of Direct Loan eligibility for certain programs with low earnings outcomes for 2 out of 3 years, and Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
2. Establishment of program eligibility requirements for a new Workforce Pell Grant for students enrolled in programs that last a duration of 8-15 weeks, are transferable to a recognized postsecondary credential or degree, are approved by the state governor, and have strong outcomes.
3. Exclusion of Pell Grant assistance for students who receive grant or scholarship aid covering their entire cost of attendance or for students with a Student Aid Index in excess of twice the maximum Pell Grant award.
4. Other provisions included in Public Law 119-21 that are effective upon enactment, on July 1, 2026, on July 1, 2027, or on July 1, 2028.
Feehan will join a diverse group of negotiators representing key voices across the higher education landscape. The AHEAD Committee will bring together representatives from a wide range of higher education and workforce stakeholders. Participants include students receiving federal financial aid; student veterans and service members; employers of all sizes; legal aid, consumer, and civil rights organizations; and leaders from public, private nonprofit, and proprietary colleges and universities — including minority-serving and Tribal institutions. The committee will also include representatives from state workforce and grant agencies, higher education regulators, accrediting bodies, and organizations representing taxpayers and the public interest.
This Negotiated Rulemaking will address sweeping legislative changes stemming from the recent enactment of the Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21)—also known by its acronyms OB3, OBBBA, OBBB, or BBB. The new law calls for significant reforms aimed at strengthening accountability, improving access and affordability in higher education, and modernizing the administration of federal student aid programs.
Matthew Feehan, J.D., is a U.S. Army National Guard veteran and former infantry officer with more than a decade of combined military, legal, and federal contracting experience. A graduate of Western New England University School of law, former Department of Justice Honors Law Clerk and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Law Clerk and Operations Officer, Feehan has served across nearly every corner of the federal system—as a contractor, civil servant, and soldier—working on matters that span regulatory policy, administrative law, and complex federal procurement. His firsthand experience navigating the same statutes and rulemaking processes that govern veterans’ benefits gives his writing a uniquely practical edge.
Today, Feehan serves as a Senior Policy Advisor with the Veterans Education Project (VEP), a Board Member of Combat Veterans of America (CVA), and an independent consultant specializing in ethics, compliance, and veterans’ policy. His advocacy work explores how law and regulation collide with the lived experience of those who serve—bridging the gap between policy intent and on-the-ground impact for veterans, families, and the public institutions charged with supporting them.
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