Committee Democrats Launch Roadmap to College Student Success
Roadmap Lays Out Proactive Agenda to Improve Access, Affordability, and Student Support
WASHINGTON – Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Democrats launched their Roadmap to College Student Success (RCSS), which will lay out a legislative blueprint for improving our nation’s higher education system for students and families. The “roadmap” will bring together a series of bold proposals focused on bringing down the cost of college, helping students access a quality degree, and—once students are in school—providing them with the support they need to graduate.
Watch the launch video on YouTube.
“When President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Higher Education Act into law in 1965, he said it meant that, and I quote, ‘a high school senior anywhere in this great land of ours can apply to any college or any university in any of the 50 states and not be turned away because [their] family is poor.’
“And that’s the way it was after President Johnson signed the Higher Education Act. The Pell Grant covered 80 percent of the cost of going to a state college, but now the Pell Grant covers less than a third of that cost.
“And so, sadly, the reality is that, despite the promise, higher education remains out of reach for millions of Americans.
“We can and must do better for America’s students.
“So, today, Committee Democrats are sharing our vision for how to improve higher education in America. It’s called the ‘Roadmap to College Student Success.’
“This campaign has three main objectives: first, bring down the cost of college, second, help students access a quality degree, and third—once students are in school—provide them with the support they need to graduate.
“A college degree is the best investment students can make for their future. And, with our help, future generations may have the opportunity to enjoy the lifelong benefits that come with a college degree.
“Ultimately, our goal remains the same as it was in 1965: Regardless of a student’s background, a college degree shall never be out of reach.”
The Roadmap to College Student Success currently consists of the following bills:
H.R. 1731 – Lowering Obstacles to Achievement Now (LOAN) Act
This bill lowers the cost of college for current and future student borrowers and their families by making critical reforms to the student loan system. These reforms include doubling the Pell Grant, improving the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, and making loans more affordable and accessible.
H.R. 5998 – America’s College Promise Act
This bill expands access to high-quality public higher education by creating a new federal-state partnership that will provide students with two years of tuition-free community college or two years of tuition-free attendance at HBCUs, MSIs and TCUs.
This bill strengthens the Pell Grant program—the cornerstone of our federal student aid system—by increasing lifetime Pell Grant eligibility from 12 semester to 16 semesters and expanding Pell Grant eligibility to graduate students.
H.R. 2957 – College Transparency Act
This bipartisan bill provides students and families with better information as they consider their higher education options by ensuring that institutions report accurate data on their student outcomes—such as enrollment, completion, and post-college earnings—while protecting students’ privacy.
H.R. 2401 – Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act
This bipartisan bill makes the transition from high school to college easier for students with disabilities and their families by allowing them to use a variety of existing documentation as proof of a disability when seeking accommodations on campus.
H.R. 309 – Opportunity To Address College Hunger Act
This bill supports college students experiencing hunger by requiring institutions of higher education to inform students in the Federal Work Study (FWS) program that they may qualify for SNAP benefits.
This year, Committee Democrats will add to the “roadmap” other key legislation that would help ensure every student can access the life-long benefits that come with a high-quality higher education.
The Roadmap to College Student Success stands in stark contrast to House Republicans’ College Cost Reduction Act, which does nothing to meaningfully lower the cost of higher education for students and families, eliminates protections against low-quality institutions and programs for students and taxpayers, and cuts critical support for students’ wellbeing and success.
Learn more about the Roadmap to College Student Success here.
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