Higher Education

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of legislation to jumpstart and rebuild the American economy, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed significant increases in college aid that will benefit millions of students and families. 

Building a Strong, Competitive 21st Century Economy

A well-trained, college-educated workforce is key to a strong American economy and middle class. The economic crisis, combined with rising tuition prices and declining state support for higher education, threatens to put college out of reach for many students – forcing them to take a semester off or even skip college. Allowing students to be priced out of a college education will only further weaken our workforce and our economy. Economists, the business community, scientists and others agree that making strategic investments in education is a smart move to grow our economy and regain our competitive edge in the 21st century global economy.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will help college students and families pay for college by significantly boosting federal student aid. It builds on the groundwork laid by the 110th Congress to make college more affordable and accessible for all qualified students. The legislation will:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman George Miller (D-CA), Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, today released the following statement on the death of former Senator Claiborne Pell. Senator Pell created the Pell Grant scholarship and established the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement today after U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson announced a new plan to bolster consumer lending, including student loans. The plan would allow investors to obtain a loan from the Federal Reserve, using student-loan and other asset-backed securities as collateral, potentially providing more funding to lenders to extend consumer credit.

More students than ever before are receiving Pell Grants to help pay for college and that number is on the rise, according to a new report released today by the College Board. The study also shows that, with college costs rising, students are continuing to access the federal student loans for which they are eligible. Over the past year, the average tuition and fees for in-state students at four-year public colleges and universities increased by 6.4 percent to $6,585 for the 2008-2009 school year.

The House of Representatives yesterday approved bipartisan legislation to further ensure that turmoil in the U.S. credit markets will not prevent students and families from accessing the financial aid they need to pay for college. The legislation extends for one year certain provisions of the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act of 2008, which were due to expire on July 1, 2009.

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 was signed into law today.  The law, passed by the House on July 31 by a vote of 380-49, is the first reauthorization of the nation’s primary higher education laws in a decade.

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. 

As a result of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, enacted into law last year, historically black colleges and universities across America will begin to receive record increases in new funding for the coming school year. The U.S. Department of Education will start awarding the grants to schools tomorrow.

The House is expected to vote tomorrow, July 31, on the Higher Education Opportunity Act (H.R. 4137).  This measure is the conference report on the Higher Education Act reauthorization; conferees adopted the conference report last night.

The House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing to examine how business-education partnerships can help drive innovation and strengthen math and science education in America’s schools.

A report released by the National Math Panel in March found that the nation’s system for teaching math is “broken and must be fixed” if the U.S. wants to maintain its competitive edge. In May, the Committee first examined the report’s findings and recommendations; this hearing follows up on that hearing.