Every week, 2,000 - 3,000 Second District residents write to me about the issues pending before Congress, and I work hard to respond to each person as promptly and thoughtfully as possible.  On this "Letter of the Week" blog, I highlight constituent letters that are of general interest.  If you'd like to share your own views, please feel free to e-mail me at any time!

 Dear Nancy,

I urge you to support the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, H.R. 4137, and oppose any weakening amendments. I believe H.R. 4137 maintains important programs for college students and provides some new opportunities to help all students.  In this competitive global economy, all Americans should be afforded greater opportunities to attend and finish college, whether they attend school fulltime or part-time.  I am pleased that H.R. 4137 contains the following important provisions.

Nontraditional College Students:
I am pleased that H.R. 4137 takes steps to address the needs of the growing number of nontraditional students.  These students are more likely to attend school part-time due to work and family care responsibilities and may face extra expenses such as childcare.  There are very few federal programs that recognize the unique needs of nontraditional students and provide appropriate assistance to them.

Year round Pell Grants:
I am pleased that H.R. 4137 allows students to qualify for Pell grants based on a year round enrollment schedule. Many nontraditional students attend classes during the summers, and federal Pell grants should be available to all students willing to make a commitment to higher education, even if they have to chip away at that dream one class at a time.

Childcare Funding (CCAMPIS program):
I strongly support the legislation’s increase in the minimum CCAMPIS grant that institutions can receive and expansion of the type of institutions that are eligible to receive these grants.

Make College More Affordable:
I also support provisions in H.R. 4137 that address the private student loan scandals that have been brought to light, encourage colleges to rein in price increases and provide students and their parents with helpful college cost information, provide advance information on textbook pricing to help students and families better plan for expenses, and streamline the federal student aid application process.

Randi from Topeka, KS

Dear Randi,

Thank you for contacting my office about the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007 (H.R. 4137).  This bill passed the House by a vote of 354-58 and it is now awaiting action in the Senate.  H.R. 4137 included many needed reforms to the Higher Education Act.   Here are just a few of the more important aspects of the bill:

It makes getting federal student aid easier:
•    Changes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to an easy-to-navigate two-page form for low-income families.
•    Simplifies the reapplication process so that students and their families won’t have to fill out a new form every year – they can just update their records with any changes.
•    Extends Pell Grant eligibility to be year-round, rather than on a semester basis.

It makes lenders more accountable by:
•    Bans gifts and revenue sharing between colleges and lenders.
•    Gives students a 3-day window to change their mind or asses other options.
•    Preventing lenders from using deceptive advertising practices like “branding” their loans with a school’s mascot.

It makes college more affordable and helps families plan for costs:
•    Provides students with advance information on textbook prices.
•    Offers colleges and universities that keep prices low grant incentives.
•    Creates an online net price calculator to provide students and families with estimates of college costs.

I am particularly pleased that the House passed an amendment I offered, along with Representative Chet Edwards, to make college more affordable for military families.  Due to the nature of military service, service members are frequently transferred from one state to another.  Because many states tie a student’s eligibility for in-state tuition to their parents’ state of residency, this leaves the children of many military families at constant risk of losing their in-state benefits.  Since 2005, Kansas law has ensured that military dependants continue to pay in-state tuition even after their parents or guardians transfer out-of-state.  My amendment guarantees in-state tuition rates for the dependents of military family members, and it ensures that these students maintain their in-state rates even when a parent or guardian is reassigned out of state.  This is a huge difference – average in-state tuition is $6,185 per year versus $16,640 per year for out-of-state.

In Kansas, we have always believed everyone who works hard should have the chance to succeed.  Kansans believe that education should open doors, not close them.  Education should create opportunities.  Last year Congress passed into law the College Cost Reduction Act, the largest federal investment in student aid since the GI Bill.  It was a first step toward making college more affordable.  With the College Opportunity and Affordability Act we took one step further.  Slowly but surely, we’re approaching the day when every Kansas student who wants to attend college can afford to do so.

Sincerely,

Nancy Boyda
Member of Congress