While You Were Sleeping, Extreme Republicans Voted to Raise College Costs, Return to DeVos Era Deregulation and Chaos
WASHINGTON – Tonight, Education and the Workforce Committee Republicans advanced legislation—H.R. 6951, the so-called College Cost Reduction Act—that would wreak havoc on our higher education system and inflict pain on students struggling to afford a college degree.
H.R. 6951 raises the cost of going to college for students and families by restricting access to federal student aid and affordable loan repayment plans, exposes students and taxpayers to predatory and low-quality institutions by repealing existing consumer protections, and fuels divisive culture wars by injecting politics into the accreditation process.
Committee Republicans REJECTED every Democratic amendments to H.R. 6951 that would actuallyhelp students afford college, access high-quality education, and complete their degrees. Here is just a sample of the more than 30 commonsense amendments Committee Democrats offered:
|
Amendment Description |
D |
R |
|
Increases students’ access to federal student aid |
YES |
NO |
|
Provides students with two years of tuition-free community college or education at an HBCU, MSI, or TCU |
YES |
NO |
|
Prevents for-profit colleges from duping veterans out of their hard-fought GI Bill benefits |
YES |
NO |
|
Makes student loan repayment easier for teachers, firefighters, veterans, and other public servants |
YES |
NO |
|
Provides relief for students who were defrauded by their schools |
YES |
NO |
|
Caps interest on student loans at 5 percent |
YES |
NO |
|
Prevents student borrowers from having their social security benefits garnished |
YES |
NO |
|
Makes support services more accessible for students with disabilities |
YES |
NO |
|
Expands child care on campus for student parents |
YES |
NO |
|
Protects students’ access to contraception |
YES |
NO |
In contrast to H.R. 6951’s harmful provisions, Committee Democrats this week launched their Roadmap to College Student Success (RCSS), a proactive legislative blueprint to improve our nation’s higher education for students and families. RCSS brings together a series of bold proposals focused on (1) bringing down the cost of college, (2) helping students access a quality degree, and (3)—once students are in school—providing them with the support they need to graduate.
Read Ranking Member Scott’s opening statement from the markup here.
Read what people are really saying about H.R. 6951 here.
Read a fact sheet on H.R. 6951, the College Cost Reduction Act, here.
Learn more about Committee Democrats’ Roadmap to College Student Success here.
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Press Contact
Democratic Press Office, 202-226-0853
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