Washington, D.C. — Today, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced new legislation called the College Affordability Act. The bill puts forward a sweeping vision for reforming higher education so that it works better for students and taxpayers.
Ben Miller, vice president for Postsecondary Education at the Center for American Progress, released the following statement on the bill’s release:
In the decade that has passed since Congress last reauthorized the Higher Education Act, states have slashed funding for higher education, more students are having to take on debt loads that have soared nearly 25 percent, and oversight bodies have uncovered rampant wrongdoing at many of the nation’s for-profit colleges. The College Affordability Act lays out a bold vision for tackling many of these challenges—from implementing a state-federal partnership to spur new state funding to strong accountability measures. This bill shows the importance of a comprehensive solution to our nation’s biggest challenges in higher education.
Antoinette Flores, associate director for Postsecondary Education at CAP, released the following statement:
As the Trump administration is working to unwind already inadequate monitoring of the nation’s college accrediting agencies, we are particularly encouraged to see this bill adopt measures we’ve called for to ensure that accreditors are helping all students receive a high-quality education that meets their needs and are strengthening the department’s oversight efforts—protecting both students and taxpayers.
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For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Colin Seeberger at [email protected] or 202-741-6292.