This afternoon, the House
of Representatives voted 221 to 199 to approve H.R. 609, legislation to reauthorize
the Higher Education Act. The bill includes a number of provisions that affect
students but does little to make college more accessible or affordable.
"The single largest
higher education issue for American students and parents is how to pay for college,"
Luke Swarthout, higher education associate for the State PIRGs. "It is
disappointing that Congress should try to pass major higher education legislation
without seriously addressing the core concern of American families."
The bill includes some positive
provisions for students like abolishing the single holder rule and establishing
a year round Pell Grant. Unfortunately, H.R. 609 also eliminates the 90/10 rule,
an anti-fraud measure that prevents fly-by-night colleges from ripping off students,
and includes student speech and association rights provision in the bill threatens
students' free speech rights.
Before H.R. 609 was debated,
the Rules Committee did not allow a vote on the bipartisan Student Aid Reward
Act to increase student aid by $10 billion at no additional cost to the taxpayers.
"On the heels of $12 billion in cuts to student aid this February, Congress
has missed a critical opportunity to make college more affordable," said
Jasmine Harris, legislative director for USSA.
