09.09.09

Chairman Miller Praises Biden College Affordability Speech

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chair of the House Education and Labor Committee, issued the following statement after Vice President Joe Biden delivered a speech on college affordability and urged Congress to pass the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009. The legislation passed the House Education and Labor Committee in July with bipartisan support and is expected to be considered by the House of Representatives in September.
The legislation will generate almost $100 billion in savings over the next ten years that will be used to boost Pell Grant scholarships, keep interest rates on federal loans affordable, create a more reliable and effective financial aid system for families, and enact President Obama’s key education priorities.

“Vice President Biden knows that students and families deserve reliable, affordable and efficient federal student aid programs, especially at a time when both tuition and enrollment are on the rise,” said Miller. “As Vice President Biden rightly acknowledged, transforming our financial aid system by putting students ahead of banks, and by making it easier for students and families to apply for financial aid, is a better deal for families and taxpayers. In the coming weeks, the House will vote to make these important, commonsense proposals a reality for millions of students and families.”

For more information on the specific provisions of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 mentioned in Vice President Biden’s speech, including Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) simplification and more, click here.