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Return to Federal Relations Reauthorization Background:
In 1965, the first Higher Education Act (HEA) was signed into law by President Lyndon Baines Johnson. The purpose of HEA is to create the rules and regulations that higher education institutions must follow in order to receive federal student aid dollars from the federal government. Every six years the entire Higher Education Act is reconsidered, which is known as reauthorization. The purpose of this reauthorization is to update, alter or add new rules that every higher education institution has to meet. The last HEA reauthorization bill was signed into law in 1998. U.S. colleges and universities are currently operating under this law, (H.R. 6)The 1998 Higher Education Act.
The HEA Reauthorization process began again in 2003 and is expected to continue through 2005. At the outset of the current Reauthorization, AJCU consulted with Jesuit higher education institutions to assess priorities and concerns for the process and formed a Reauthorization Working Group that met in the spring of 2003. As a result of these efforts, AJCU compiled a Position Paper on the Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act detailing its initial goals to achieve better access for students and less costly burdensome requirements for colleges and universities.
HEA in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 110th Congress
Reconciliation:
Currently, both the House and the Senate have passed Reconciliation Bills No scheduled time has been set for Conference on Reconciliation, it is expected that Conference will occur in the fall of 2007.
AJCU Letter of Support of the Higher Education Access Act of 2007
AJCU Letter of support for the College Cost Reduction Act: ( see attached)
Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act:
The Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act has been a four year process thus far.
AJCU's HEA Recommendations to the House and to the Senate for 2007: ( see attached)
There is no House of Representatives Reauthorization bill as of this time, we are expecting markup of the House Reauthorization bill at some point in the fall of 2007.
HEA in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 109th Congress:
HEA in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 108th Congress:
In 2003, Chairman Buck McKeon of the 21st Century Competitiveness Subcommittee, introduced H.R.3311, The Affordability in Higher Education Act. AJCU and the higher education community were extremely concerned about many aspects of the bill, particularly the effect of introducing a price control mechanism that would limit colleges and universities from raising tuitions at certain levels. The text of the letter AJCU sent to Chairman McKeon voicing opposition to the bill can be found here: AJCU Letter to Chairman McKeon on H.R. 3311.
Four other bills were introduced in Chairman McKeon's Subcommittee in 2003 and passed in full committee under the leadership of Chairman John Boehner. The bills continued authorizing legislation for Title II Teacher Quality Programs, Teacher Loan Forgiveness, International Studies and Graduate Education. These four bills passed the Floor of the House of Representatives and were sent to the Senate side for further consideration:
H.R.3077, The International Studies in Higher Education Act
H.R. 3076, The Graduate Opportunities in Higher Education Act
H.R. 2211, The Ready to Teach Act
H.R. 438, The Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act
House Democrats also introduced bills pertaining to HEA:
H.R. 3180, College Opportunity For All Act
H.R. 3519, College Affordability and Accountability Act
H.R. 2913, Distance Education and Online Learning Act
H.R. 4102, Access and Equity in Higher Education Act
A bipartisan bill on direct loans was introduced:
H.R. 4370, The Direct Loan Reward Act of 2003
The following bills were also introduced for HEA:
H.R. 3894, The Pell Grants Plus Act
H.R. 3039, The Expanding Opportunities in Higher Education Act
H.R. 2956, The Financial Aid Simplification Act
H.R.12, The Fed Up Project
In May of 2004, Chairmen Boehner and McKeon introduced H.R. 4283, The College Access and Opportunity Act. H.R. 3077, H.R. 3076, H.R. 2211, and H.R. 438 were all rolled into this bill. In addition, portions of the full text of H.R. 3894, H.R. 3039, H.R. 2956 and H.R.12 were incorporated into H.R. 4283. This is the final bill of HEA to be considered by the House of Representatives. A large portion of the bill is dedicated to Title IV, Student Financial Aid.
AJCU responded to H.R. 4283 by voicing strong concern and opposition to this bill as it is currently written. Overall, the bill federalizes more intrusion into the management of higher education institutions. AJCU considers more reporting requirements for institutions on cost, transfer of credits and accreditation requirements unnecessary and counterproductive to enhancing the quality of Jesuit higher education institutions. In addition, the bill freezes the Pell Grant Maximum Award at the 1998 Reauthorization level of $5,800 and reconstructs the campus-based aid formula for the SEOG program, Federal Work Study and Perkins Loan program without sufficient authorization levels to accommodate new institutions participating in the program. Because of these and other issues, AJCU felt compelled to not support the bill in its current form. The text of AJCU's letter to Chairmen Boehner and McKeon expressing opposition to H.R. 4283 can be found here: AJCU letter to Chairmen Boehner and McKeon on H.R. 4283. H.R. 4283 was never marked up in Committee during the 108th Congress.
HEA in the U.S. Senate in the 108th Congress:
In October of 2003, Senate Democrats introduced S. 1793, The College Quality, Affordability, and Diversity Improvement Act of 2003.
In September of 2004, Senator Enzi introduced S. 2795, Higher Education Affordability, Access, and Opportunity Act of 2004.
Senator Judd Gregg's Committee did not have the opportunity to introduce their version of the Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act in the 108th Congress. As a result, Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee (HELP) Chairman Michael Enzi (R-Wy) will have the privilege of guiding the Sentate HEA perspectives in the 109th Congress.
For further information on Reauthorization, contact Cyndy Littlefield, AJCU Director of Federal Relations, at: clittlefield@ajcunet.edu or Cyndylit@aol.com. |
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