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WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Reps. George Miller (D-CA) and Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX) introduced legislation today to address the soaring price of college and remove other obstacles that make it harder for qualified students to go to college.
The College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007 would reform and strengthen the nation’s higher education programs to ensure that they operate in the best interests of students and families.
“Today’s students face far too many obstacles when trying to go to college: Skyrocketing college prices; an absurdly confusing financial aid application; and a student loan industry overrun with conflicts of interest,” said Miller, the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. “Congress has already enacted legislation this year to provide an additional $20 billion in financial aid for students and families over the next five years. The College Opportunity and Affordability Act will build on that effort by creating a fairer and more easy-to-navigate higher education system and expanding college access for all qualified students. This legislation will help strengthen our nation’s middle class and build a stronger, vibrant American workforce.”
“This bill makes strategic investments in higher education aimed at sharpening our nation’s competitiveness while opening the doors of opportunity to more students than ever before,” said Hinojosa, the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness. “I am particularly proud of the work we have done to strengthen minority students’ access to the fields of science and technology. Our nation will depend on this next generation of students – over 40 percent of whom are minorities – to fuel our increasingly high-tech economy.”
A report released by the College Board last month shows that tuition and fees at four-year public colleges and universities increased by 31 percent – after inflation – over the last five years. The report found that tuition prices were up across the board, at public and private colleges and at two-year and four-year colleges.
The bill would address these rising prices by encouraging colleges to rein in price increases, ensuring that states maintain their commitments to higher education funding, and providing students and families with consumer friendly information on college pricing and the factors driving tuition increases.
The legislation would also strengthen provisions already approved by the House to clean up corrupt practices in the student loan programs and protect students from aggressive lender marketing practices. The bill’s new provisions include requiring better consumer disclosures and protections on private student loans.
In addition, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act would:
- Streamline the federal student financial aid application to make it easier for all eligible students, especially from low-income households, to apply for financial aid;
- Make textbook costs more manageable for students by helping them plan for textbook expenses in advance of each semester;
- Expand college access for low-income and minority students by allowing students to receive year-round Pell Grant scholarships and strengthening college readiness programs;
- Increase college aid and support programs for veterans and military families to help veterans, active duty military personnel, and their family members attend college and succeed;
- Create safer college campuses for students and faculty by developing campus safety and disaster readiness plans for all colleges and helping schools recover and rebuild in the event of a disaster;
- Ensure equal college opportunities and fair learning environments for students with disabilities to provide them with the resources and support they need to stay in school and graduate; and
- Help strengthen our nation’s workforce and economic competitiveness by boosting science, technology, and foreign language educational opportunities, by providing public service loan forgiveness to encourage and reward students who enter critically needed service fields and by enhancing teacher training and development programs.
Miller and Hinojosa said today that the House Education and Labor Committee plans to mark up this legislation next week.
This legislation is the second of two major higher education bills introduced this year. The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 was signed into law in September. The College Opportunity and Affordability Act is a comprehensive reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, the primary law aimed at expanding college access for low- and middle-income students. For more information on the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, click here.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tom Kiley / Rachel Racusen
2181 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-226-0853
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