U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter today voted for legislation to address the soaring price of college tuition and remove other obstacles that make it harder for qualified students to go to college.
The House approved the College Opportunity and Affordability Act (H.R. 4137), which reforms and strengthens the nation’s higher education programs to ensure they operate in the best interests of students and families. The legislation is the second major step the new Democratic Congress has taken to make college more affordable and accessible for all qualified students. Last year, Congress enacted into law a $20 billion increase in college financial aid over the next five years, the largest increase in student aid since the G.I. Bill of 1944.
“I believe that no qualified student in this country should be prevented from going to college because of the price,” said Perlmutter.
An October 2007 report from the College Board showed that, over the previous five years, tuition and fees increased across the board at public and private colleges and at two-year and four-year colleges. In Colorado , tuition and fees at four-year public universities grew by 16 percent between 2006-07 and 2007-08. 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.
In addition, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act would:
ü Streamline the federal student financial aid application process;
ü Make textbook costs more manageable for students by, among other things, helping them plan for textbook expenses in advance of each semester;
ü Allow students to receive year-round Pell Grant scholarships;
ü Strengthen college readiness and support programs for minority and low-income students;
ü Increase college aid and support programs for veterans and military families;
ü Improve safety on college campuses and help schools recover and rebuild after a disaster;
ü Ensure equal college opportunities and fair learning environments for students with disabilities; and
ü Strengthen our nation’s workforce and economic competitiveness by boosting science, technology, and foreign language educational opportunities.
