House Passes Higher Education Opportunity Act, Sets Stage for Higher Education Renewal for First Time in a Decade

By Betsy Miller Kittredge on 07-31-2008, 03:30 PM in

The House passed the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (H.R. 4137) today, by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 380-49. This vote gave final approval to an overhaul of our nation's higher education laws, advancing key reforms that would address the soaring price of college and remove other obstacles that make it harder for qualified students to go to college. The Higher Education Act was last reauthorized in 1998. The current law expired in 2003. The bill now moves to the Senate for final clearance before being sent to the President for his signature.

Tuition and fees have increased across the board over the last five years, at public and private colleges and at two-year and four-year colleges. These increases have consistently outpaced increases in the rate of inflation and in families’ ability to pay, creating a college cost crisis that threatens to prevent qualified students from pursuing a higher education. This measure addresses these affordability challenges 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. It also strengthens provisions previously approved by the House to avoid conflicts of interest in the student loan programs. The bill’s new provisions include requiring better consumer disclosures and protections on private student loans.

In addition, the Higher Education Opportunity Act would:

Streamline the federal student financial aid application process;
Make textbook costs more manageable for students by, among other things, helping them plan for textbook expenses in advance of each semester;
Allow students to receive year-round Pell Grant scholarships;
Strengthen college readiness programs;
Increase college aid and support programs for veterans and military families;
Improve safety on college campuses and help schools recover and rebuild after a disaster;
Ensure equal college opportunities and fair learning environments for students with disabilities; and
Strengthen our nation’s workforce and economic competitiveness by boosting science, technology, and foreign language educational opportunities.

“Today’s students face daunting obstacles on the path to college, from skyrocketing tuition prices to predatory student lending tactics. This landmark bipartisan legislation will address these challenges and create a higher education system that is more consumer-friendly, fairer, and easier-to-navigate. Already, this Congress has taken historic steps to make college more affordable and accessible. With today’s vote, we are saying that in our nation’s higher education programs, the needs of students and families must always come first.” -- Chairman George Miller

“This bill is crucial to the health of our economy and will ensure that more students graduate prepared for the 21st century workplace. It puts smart strategies in place to improve our student aid process, restore confidence in our student loan programs, and provide more low-income, first-generation, and minority students the chance to pursue a college education.” -- Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness