Washington, DC (November 15, 2007) – Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness, today applauded the passage of legislation that would address the skyrocketing cost of college and open the doors of higher education to more students that ever before.
The College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007, introduced by Hinojosa and Rep. George Miller (D-CA), unanimously passed the House Education and Labor Committee by a vote of 44-0. The bill would reform and strengthen the nation’s higher education programs to ensure that they function in the best interests of students and families.
“This innovative bill will enable our higher education system to remain on the cutting edge and help more low-income, first-generation students pursue their dreams,” said Hinojosa. “At the same time, it encourages colleges to rein in their prices and makes certain that states remain committed to funding higher education.”
A report released by the College Board last month shows that tuition and fees at four-year public institutions in
In light of these alarming trends, the legislation would provide students with consumer friendly information on college pricing and the factors driving tuition increases. It also would increase the authorized Pell grant maximum to $9,000, streamline the federal financial aid application process, and increase college aid and support programs for veterans and military families.
Troubling revelations about the student loan industry also prompted Hinojosa and other lawmakers to include protections to clean up corrupt practices in student loan programs and safeguard students from aggressive lender marketing practices. The bill requires better consumer disclosures and protections on private student loans as well.
As chair of the Higher Education Subcommittee, Hinojosa was able to include an unprecedented number of initiatives to boost the achievement of Hispanic students in higher education. Hispanics continue to have the lowest levels of education attainment of any group in the country. In the 1999-2000 academic year, Hispanics earned only 6 percent of bachelor’s degrees, 4 percent of master’s degrees, and 3 percent of doctor’s degrees.
To address these dismal statistics, Hinojosa successfully added a provision that for the first time would establish a $125 million grant to help set up graduate courses at Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSIs).
“It has been 10 years since I first introduced legislation to create a graduate program for Hispanic-Serving Institutions and with the passage of this legislation we are one step closer to enacting this long-overdue program,” said Hinojosa.
Hinojosa also successfully boosted the authorization for undergraduate HSI programs to $175 million. This increase would directly affect UT-Pan American,
Other provisions in the legislation would:
- Authorize a grant program to encourage young people, especially minorities, to pursue STEM careers
- Make textbook costs more manageable for students by helping them plan for textbook expenses in advance of each semester
- Allow students to receive year-round Pell Grant scholarships
- Strengthen our nation’s workforce and economic competitiveness by boosting science, technology, and foreign language educational opportunities
The College Opportunity and Affordability Act is a comprehensive reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965, the primary law aimed at expanding college access for low- and middle-income students. It was first signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson as a part of his Great Society domestic agenda.
The College Opportunity and Affordability Act now goes to the floor of the House of Representatives for full consideration. For more information on the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, click here.
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