[Home and School] NACAC College Access Update: HEA Passes House
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Thu, 30 Mar 2006 22:28:31 EST
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NACAC College Access Update: HEA Passes House
The Higher Education Act. Today the House of Representatives passed HR 609,
the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA) by a _vote of 221 -
199_ (http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll081.xml) . Thanks to everyone who
contacted their Representatives on HR 609 and the King Amendment! Below please
find updates on the status of key amendments and other bill provisions. Visit
NACAC's _government relations web page_
(http://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/News/GovernmentRelations/) to read letters from NACAC detailing our
objections to the bill itself and on the King Amendment.
* King Amendment. Failed by a _vote of 83 to 337_
(http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll079.xml) . Thank you for your quick action in contacting
Congress in opposition of this amendment! The King Amendment would have imposed
a long list of costly, burdensome and duplicative requirements on colleges
and universities concerning factors in admission decisions, including race and
ethnicity of individual applicants.
* Souder/Bishop Amendment. Passed by voice vote. This amendment
removes language that would have prohibited schools from denying transfer of credit
based solely on the accreditation of the sending institution. Instead,
schools that do deny transfer of credit based on the accreditation of the sending
institutions are required to disclose such policies.
* Gohmert Amendment. Passed by a _vote of 418 to 2_
(http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll077.xml) . This amendment strikes certain reporting
requirements regarding college costs, and strikes the language that would allow
states to apply to the Secretary of Education to become recognized accreditors.
* Authorization of Need-based Aid. The legislation provides a mere
$200 increase in authorized maximum Pell Grant until 2013. NACAC and the higher
education community recommended doubling the authorized Pell Grant (an
increase of $5,800). The bill failes to provide any increase in the authorization
of key need-based student aid and early college awareness programs like the
SEOG, Work Study, GEAR UP, and TRIO.
* The STAR Act. The House missed the opportunity to include the STAR
Act in HR 609, which would have provided up to $1,000 more for each Pell Grant
recipient at no additional cost to taxpayers, strengthen the student loan
program and generate budget savings.
* Fraud and Abuse in Student Aid. The bill eliminates safeguards put
in place to protect students from unlawful high-pressure sales tactics and
exposes the federal student aid system to fraud and abuse.
Although we claim victory in the defeat of the King Amendment and the
loosening of college costs and transfer of credit reporting requirements, HR 609
still abandons the original intent of the Higher Education Act, to improve
college access for the neediest students.
For updates, check the _NACAC Government Relations Web page_
(http://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/News/GovernmentRelations/) . Please contact NACAC staff
at _legislative@nacac.com_ (mailto:legislative@nacac.com) with any questions.
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<DIV><BR>
<P align=3Dleft><STRONG><FONT size=3D4>NACAC College Access Update=
: HEA=20
Passes House</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><STRONG>The Higher Education Act. </STRONG>To=
day the=20
House of Representatives passed HR 609, the reauthorization of the Higher=20
Education Act (HEA) by a </FONT><A=20
title=3Dhttp://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll081.xml=20
href=3D"http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll081.xml" target=3D_blank><FONT=20
size=3D3>vote of 221 - 199</FONT></A><FONT size=3D3>. Thanks to everyon=
e who=20
contacted their Representatives on HR 609 and the King Amendment! Below plea=
se=20
find updates on the status of key amendments and other bill=20
provisions. Visit NACAC's </FONT><A=20
title=3Dhttp://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/News/GovernmentRelations/=20
href=3D"http://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/News/GovernmentRelations/"=20
target=3D_blank><FONT size=3D3>government relations web page</FONT></A><FONT=
size=3D3>=20
to read letters from NACAC detailing our objections to the bill itself and o=
n=20
the King Amendment. </FONT></P>
<UL>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><STRONG>King Amendment. </STRONG>Failed b=
y a=20
</FONT><A title=3Dhttp://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll079.xml=20
href=3D"http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll079.xml" target=3D_blank><FONT=
=20
size=3D3>vote of 83 to 337</FONT></A><FONT size=3D3>. Thank you for your q=
uick=20
action in contacting Congress in opposition of this amendment! The King=20
Amendment would have imposed a long list of costly, burdensome and=20
duplicative requirements on colleges and universities concerning factors i=
n=20
admission decisions, including race and ethnicity of individual=20
applicants.</FONT></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><STRONG>Souder/Bishop Amendment</STRONG>.=
Passed=20
by voice vote. This amendment removes language that would have prohibited=20
schools from denying transfer of credit based solely on the accreditation=20=
of=20
the sending institution. Instead, schools that do deny transfer of credit=20
based on the accreditation of the sending institutions are required to=20
disclose such policies.</FONT></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><STRONG>Gohmert Amendment</STRONG>. Passe=
d by a=20
</FONT><A title=3Dhttp://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll077.xml=20
href=3D"http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll077.xml" target=3D_blank><FONT=
=20
size=3D3>vote of 418 to 2</FONT></A><FONT size=3D3>. This amendment strike=
s=20
certain reporting requirements regarding college costs, and strikes the=20
language that would allow states to apply to the Secretary of Education to=
=20
become recognized accreditors. </FONT></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><STRONG>Authorization of Need-based Aid</=
STRONG>.=20
The legislation provides a mere $200 increase in authorized maximum Pell G=
rant=20
until 2013. NACAC and the higher education community recommended doubling=20=
the=20
authorized Pell Grant (an increase of $5,800). The bill failes to provide=20=
any=20
increase in the authorization of key need-based student aid and early=
=20
college awareness programs like the SEOG, Work Study, GEAR UP, and TRIO.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><STRONG>The STAR Act</STRONG>. The House=20=
missed=20
the opportunity to include the STAR Act in HR 609, which would have provid=
ed=20
up to $1,000 more for each Pell Grant recipient at no additional cost to=20
taxpayers, strengthen the student loan program and generate budget savings=
.=20
</FONT></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3><STRONG>Fraud and Abuse in Student Aid.</=
STRONG>=20
The bill eliminates safeguards put in place to protect students from unlaw=
ful=20
high-pressure sales tactics and exposes the federal student aid system to=20
fraud and abuse. </FONT></DIV></LI></UL>
<P align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>Although we claim victory in the defeat of th=
e King=20
Amendment and the loosening of college costs and transfer of credit reportin=
g=20
requirements, HR 609 still abandons the original intent of the Higher Educat=
ion=20
Act, to improve college access for the neediest students. </FONT></P>
<P align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>For updates, check the </FONT><A=20
title=3Dhttp://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/News/GovernmentRelations/=20
href=3D"http://www.nacacnet.org/MemberPortal/News/GovernmentRelations/"=20
target=3D_blank><FONT size=3D3>NACAC Government Relations Web page</FONT></A=
><FONT=20
size=3D3>. Please contact NACAC staff at </FONT><A=20
title=3Dmailto:legislative@nacac.com href=3D"mailto:legislative@nacac.com"><=
FONT=20
size=3D3>legislative@nacac.com</FONT></A><FONT size=3D3> with any questions.=
=20
</FONT></P><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>
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