Tell Congress to Keep Higher Education Affordable!

This fall, Congress will be voting on two bills that will dramatically decrease access to higher education. Join the United States Student Association and concerned citizen and students from around the country in telling Congress that you are against legislation that will undermine our federal loan programs!

 

These are the two bills:

 

1. Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. The Higher Education Act (HEA) is the single piece of legislation that controls almost all federal higher education programs. The House will vote on a bill (H.R. 609) that represents the single largest cut in the history of student aid programs by: eliminating in-school loan consolidation, making fixed rate loan consolidation more expensive for students, creating a mandatory 1% fee for each student loan, taking away on-time repayment benefits, among many more changes. HEA is reauthorized every 5-7 years, so these changes would be effective until the reauthorization!

 

2. Budget Reconciliation. Congress approved a budget resolution that will severely slash the student loan programs. Almost $9 billion will be cut from our programs.  These cuts represent the elimination of many student borrower benefits, and will increase student debt by thousands of dollars.  The budget reconciliation bill will finalize these cuts and must be voted on in the early fall.

 

 

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Make Higher Education Affordable For Youth

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am writing as a concerned voter to urge you to vote against legislation that hurts students. This fall, Congress will be taking crucial votes on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and Budget Reconciliation. The language being considered for both bills would dramatically limit access to higher education for all students.

Millions of students depend on federal financial aid to attend college. However, the House will be voting on a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act bill (H.R. 609) that dramatically decreases resources going towards higher education. I urge you to vote against H.R. 609 and not support an HEA reauthorization bill that does not include: the most affordable loan consolidation options for students; lowering the interest rate cap to 6.8%; the Student Aid Reward Act and increases to the grant authorizing levels of the Pell Grant, SEOG, Federal Work-Study and CCAMPIS.

The $9 billion cut from the student loan programs in Budget Reconciliation will make higher education more expensive for students. The average student will pay thousands of dollars more over the life of her/his loans with these cuts. Students will face additional mandatory fees for each student loan and lose the ability to consolidate while in school, among many other borrower benefit cuts.

Educated individuals are the foundation of our economy. We must recognize the importance of higher education and invest in the vital programs that make college education a reality. Without an investment in the future leaders of our nation, we cannot have a strong, competitive and secure America. Congress must demonstrate a commitment to young people by increasing access to higher education and preserving the programs that students care about the most.

Please vote against the Higher Education Act reauthorization and Budget Reconciliation bills that will be voted on this fall. I look forward to working with you in the future to turn higher education into a reality for all Americans.

Signed by:

Campaign Launched:
July 27, 2005


Background Information

Each year, too many students and families struggle to afford college. Soon access to an affordable education may be even more difficult. Recently, the House Education Committee passed H.R.609, legislation that would put higher education even further out of reach for American students and families. The benefits that college graduates provide to our country are tremendous; yet, our federal and state governments are failing to make higher education more accessible and affordable. Consider this: 

v    Over 40,000 qualified students are unable to attend college each year because of the cost.

v     Nearly half of full-time students who work are employed for 25 or more hours each week.

v     55 percent of college graduates say they are burdened by their student loan debt.

 

The House Bill, H.R. 609 reauthorized the Higher Education Act, a bill that was originally passed to ensure that every qualified individual could pursue the dream of a college education, regardless of income. Unfortunately, H.R. 609 freezes student aid funding, raises the cost of student loan borrowing, and makes pursuing a college degree even more difficult.