U.S. Senator Ken Salazar Member: Finance, Agriculture, Energy, Ethics and Aging Committees 2300 15^th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
For Immediate Release Thursday, July 31, 2008		CONTACT:Michael Amodeo – 303-249-5286 Matt Lee-Ashley – 202-228-5905
UPDATE: UPDATE: Senate Sends Higher Education Bill to President's Desk Bill reauthorizes, improves and expands federal programs to make college more affordable WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, United States Senator Ken Salazar issued the following statement lauding the Senate’s passage of the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008 (H.R. 4137), legislation that will make college more affordable and more accessible for millions of young people. “The rising costs of college are discouraging too many young people from pursuing a higher education, yet in a competitive global economy a college education is more important than ever,” said Sen. Salazar. “In Colorado, the average cost for a public university has climbed 38% in the last five years, putting these opportunities out of reach. The federal student aid programs that we are strengthening in this bill gave me the chance I needed to succeed – it is now our turn to widen the doors of opportunity to those who are coming behind us.” Over half of Colorado college seniors are graduating with an average debt of over $16,000. The College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008 will reauthorize, strengthen, and expand federal education aid programs, address unethical practices of the student loan industry, and simplify the financial aid process for students. ###