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On the Issues
College Affordability
(Click here for information on financial aid and applying to college.)
The increasing cost of tuition has become a concern for nearly every young person who wants to go to college. Although there are a variety of federal assistance programs in place, the grant-to-loan ratio has tilted too far toward loans, resulting in unwieldy debt for students upon graduation. It is clear that addressing the issue of college affordability should be one of the top priorities of Congress.
In 2010, Congress moved forward on a major long-term college affordability initiative. The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act invests $36 billion over ten years to increase the maximum annual Pell Grant Scholarship, makes loans more affordable for borrowers and saves taxpayers money by originating new loans through the Direct Loan program. Passage of this legislation represents the single largest investment in higher education since the GI bill.
The bill also invests $2.55 billion in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions. And it creates a $2 billion competitive grant program for community colleges to develop and improve educational and career training programs. I am proud to have supported this legislation.
In August of 2008, legislation reauthorizing the Higher Education Act (H.R. 4137) was signed into law. The bill encourages colleges to rein in price increases and provide consumers with helpful information; restore integrity and accountability to federal student loan programs; simplify the federal student aid application process; make textbook costs more manageable; expand college access and support for low-income and minority students; and ensure equal college opportunities for students with disabilities. More information about H.R. 4137 is available on the House Education and Labor web site.
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U.S. House of Representatives
2162 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202.225.1784
Fax: 202.225.2014 |
411 W. Chapel Hill Street
NC Mutual Building, 9th Floor
Durham, NC 27701
Phone: 919.688.3004
Fax: 919.688.0940 |
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Suite 205
Raleigh, NC 27607
Phone: 919.859.5999
Fax: 919.859.5998 |
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Suite 140
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Phone: 919.967.7924
Fax: 919.967.8324 |
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