[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3311 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3311

To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to address the rising cost of 
                        postsecondary education.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 16, 2003

Mr. McKeon (for himself, Mr. Boehner, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Petri, Mr. Cole, 
 and Mr. Duncan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
              the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to address the rising cost of 
                        postsecondary education.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Affordability in 
Higher Education Act of 2003''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Reference; effective date.
                  TITLE I--COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY INDEX

Sec. 101. Establishment of index.
        ``Sec. 131. Consumer information and public accountability in 
                            higher education.''
          TITLE II--INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO HIGHER EDUCATION

Sec. 201. College Affordability Demonstration Program.
        ``Sec. 486A. College Affordability Demonstration Program.''
                     TITLE III--TRANSFER OF CREDIT

Sec. 301. Requirement relating to credit transfer.
                      TITLE IV--SENSE OF CONGRESS

Sec. 401. Regulatory burden impact on tuition and fees.

SEC. 2. REFERENCE; EFFECTIVE DATE.

    (a) Reference.--Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, 
whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an 
amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference 
shall be considered to be made to a section or other provision of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.).
    (b) Effective Date.--Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the 
amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date of enactment 
of this Act.

                  TITLE I--COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY INDEX

SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT OF INDEX.

    Section 131 (20 U.S.C. 1015) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 131. CONSUMER INFORMATION AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY IN HIGHER 
              EDUCATION.

    ``(a) Data Collection.--
            ``(1) Data systems.--The Secretary shall continue to 
        redesign the relevant parts of the postsecondary education data 
        systems to include additional data as required by this section 
        and to continue to improve the usefulness and timeliness of 
        data collected by such systems.
            ``(2) Information from institutions.--The Commissioner of 
        Education Statistics shall collect, for each academic year and 
        in accordance with standard definitions developed by the 
        Commissioner of Education Statistics (including definitions 
        developed under section 131(a)(3)(A) as in effect on the day 
        before the date of enactment of the Affordability in Higher 
        Education Act of 2003), from at least all institutions of 
        higher education participating in programs under title IV, and 
        such institutions shall provide, the following data:
                    ``(A) the tuition and fees charged for a full-time 
                undergraduate student;
                    ``(B) the room and board charges for such a 
                student;
                    ``(C) the cost of attendance for a full-time 
                undergraduate student, consistent with the provisions 
                of section 472;
                    ``(D) the average amount of financial assistance 
                received by a full-time undergraduate student, 
                including--
                            ``(i) each type of assistance or benefits 
                        described in 428(a)(2)(C)(ii);
                            ``(ii) fellowships;
                            ``(iii) institutional and other assistance;
                            ``(iv) loans under parts B and D;
                    ``(E) the number of students receiving financial 
                assistance described in each clause of subparagraph 
                (D); and
                    ``(F) the institutional instructional expenditure 
                per full-time equivalent student.
    ``(b) Data Dissemination.--The Secretary shall make available the 
data collected pursuant to this section, including an institution's 
college affordability index as calculated in accordance with subsection 
(c), and its affordability alert status (if required under subsection 
(d)(3)(A)(ii)). Such data shall be made available in a manner that 
permits the review and comparison of data submissions of individual 
institutions of higher education. Such data shall be presented in a 
form that is easily accessible and understandable and allows parents 
and students to make informed decisions based on the prices for typical 
full-time undergraduate students and the institution's rate of cost 
increase.
    ``(c) College Affordability Index.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall, on the basis of the 
        data submitted under subsection (a), calculate a college 
        affordability index for each institution of higher education 
        submitting such data and shall make the index available in 
        accordance with subsection (b) as soon as operationally 
        possible on the Department's college opportunity on line 
        website.
            ``(2) Calculation of index.--The college affordability 
        index shall be equal to--
                    ``(A) the percentage increase in the tuition and 
                fees charged for a first-time, full-time, full-year 
                undergraduate student between the first of 3 most 
                recent preceding academic years and the last of those 3 
                academic years, divided by
                    ``(B) the percentage increase in the Consumer Price 
                Index-All Urban Consumers (Current Series) from July of 
                the first of those 3 academic years to July of the last 
                of those 3 academic years.
    ``(d) Outcomes and Actions.--
            ``(1) Response from institution.--Effective on June 30, 
        2008, an institution that has a college affordability index 
        that exceeds 2.0 for any 3-year interval ending on or after 
        that date shall provide a report to the Secretary, in such a 
        form, at such time, and containing such information as the 
        Secretary may require. Such report shall include--
                    ``(A) an explanation of the factors contributing to 
                the increase in the institution's costs and in the 
                tuition and fees charged to students;
                    ``(B) a management plan stating the specific steps 
                the institution is and will be taking to reduce its 
                college affordability index;
                    ``(C) an action plan, including a schedule, by 
                which the institution will reduce increases in or 
                stabilize, such costs and tuition and fees; and
                    ``(D) if determinations of tuition and fee 
                increases are not within the exclusive control of the 
                institution, a description of the agency or 
                instrumentality of State government or other entity 
                that participates in such determinations and the 
                authority exercised by such agency, instrumentality, or 
                entity.
            ``(2) Information to the public.--Upon receipt of the 
        institution's report and management plan under paragraph (1), 
        the Secretary shall make the institution's report required 
        under paragraph (1) available to the public in accordance with 
        subsection (b).
            ``(3) Consequences of failure to reduce college 
        affordability index.--
                    ``(A) Consequences for two year continuation of 
                failure.--If the Secretary determines that the 
                institution has failed to comply with the management 
                plan and action plan submitted by the institution under 
                this subsection following the next 2 academic years 
                that begin after the submission of such plan, and has 
                failed to reduce the college affordability index below 
                2.0 for such 2 academic years, the Secretary--
                            ``(i) shall make available to the public a 
                        detailed report provided by the institution on 
                        all costs and expenditures and on all tuition 
                        and fees charged to students;
                            ``(ii) shall place the institution on an 
                        affordability alert status and shall make the 
                        information regarding the institution's failure 
                        available in accordance with subsection (b);
                            ``(iii) shall notify the institution's 
                        accrediting agency of the institution's 
                        failure; and
                            ``(iv) may require the institution to 
                        submit to a review and audit by the Inspector 
                        General of the Department of Education to 
                        determine the cause of the institution's 
                        failure.
                    ``(B) Loss of eligibility to participate.--If the 
                Secretary determines that the failure to reduce the 
                college affordability index below 2.0 has continued for 
                3 academic years after the submission of the management 
                plan, the Secretary shall provide reasonable notice to 
                the institution of action to be taken, after 
                opportunity for a hearing, to remove the institution 
                from participation in all the programs under title IV, 
                other than under subpart 1 of part A, and parts B and 
                D. No such removal shall, in the case of any grant 
                awarded for a multiyear term prior to such removal, 
                result in the termination of such grant before the end 
                of such term.
                    ``(C) Inapplicability of loan limit increases.--
                Notwithstanding subparagraph (B) and the provisions on 
                annual and aggregate loan limits in parts B and D, no 
                increase in loan limits under part B or D of title IV 
                that is enacted by Congress after the date of enactment 
                of this section shall apply to a loan to cover the cost 
                of attendance at an institution that has lost 
                eligibility to participate in other programs pursuant 
                to subparagraph (B).
                    ``(D) Regaining eligibility.--The Secretary shall 
                prescribe procedures by which an institution that 
                reduces its college affordability index may regain 
                eligibility for participation after any removal from 
                participation under subparagraph (B).
            ``(4) Information to state agencies.--Any institution that 
        reports under paragraph (1)(C) that an agency or 
        instrumentality of State government or other entity 
        participates in the determinations of tuition and fee increases 
        shall, prior to submitting any information to the Secretary 
        under this subsection, submit such information to, and request 
        the comments and input of, such agency, instrumentality, or 
        entity. With respect to any such institution, the Secretary 
        shall provide a copy of any communication by the Secretary with 
        that institution to such agency, instrumentality, or entity.
            ``(5) Exemptions.--
                    ``(A) Relative price exemption.--The Secretary 
                shall, for any 3-year interval for which college 
                affordability indexes are computed under paragraph (1), 
                determine and publish the dollar amount that, for each 
                class of institution described in subparagraph (C) of 
                this paragraph, represents the maximum tuition and fees 
                charged for a full-time undergraduate student by the 
                least costly quartile of institutions within each such 
                class during the last year of such 3-year interval. An 
                institution that has a college affordability index 
                computed under paragraph (1) that exceeds 2.0 for any 
                such 3-year interval, but that, on average during such 
                3-year interval, charges less than such maximum tuition 
                and fees shall not be subject to the actions required 
                by subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (1), or any 
                action under paragraph (3), unless such institution, 
                for a subsequent 3-year interval, charges more than 
                such maximum tuition and fees.
                    ``(B) Dollar increase exemption.--An institution 
                that has a college affordability index computed under 
                paragraph (1) that exceeds 2.0 for any 3-year interval, 
                but that exceeds such 2.0 by a dollar amount that is 
                less than $500, shall not be subject to the actions 
                required by subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (1), 
                or any action under paragraph (3), unless such 
                institution has a college affordability index for a 
                subsequent 3-year interval that exceeds 2.0 by more 
                than such dollar amount.
                    ``(C) Classes of institutions.--For purposes of 
                subparagraph (B), the classes of institutions shall be 
                those sectors used by the integrated postsecondary 
                education data system, based on whether the institution 
                is public, nonprofit private, or for-profit private, 
                and whether the institution has a 4-year, 2-year, or 
                less than 2-year program of instruction.
    ``(e) Fines.--In addition to actions authorized in section 487(c), 
the Secretary may impose a fine in an amount not to exceed $25,000 on 
an institution of higher education for failing to provide the 
information described in this section in a timely and accurate manner, 
or for failing to otherwise cooperate with the National Center for 
Education Statistics regarding efforts to obtain data on the cost and 
price of higher education under this section and pursuant to the 
program participation agreement entered into under section 487.
    ``(f) GAO Study and Report.--
            ``(1) GAO study.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a 
        study of the policies and procedures implemented by 
        institutions in increasing the affordability of postsecondary 
        education. Such study shall include information with respect 
        to--
                    ``(A) a list of those institutions that--
                            ``(i) have reduced their college 
                        affordability indexes; or
                            ``(ii) are, as determined under subsection 
                        (d)(5)(A), within the least costly quartile of 
                        institutions within each class described in 
                        subsection (d)(5)(C);
                    ``(B) policies implemented to stem the increase in 
                tuition and fees and institutional costs;
                    ``(C) the extent to which room and board costs and 
                prices changed;
                    ``(D) the extent to which other services were 
                altered to affect tuition and fees;
                    ``(E) the extent to which the institution's 
                policies affected student body demographics;
                    ``(F) what, if any, operational factors played a 
                role in reducing tuition and fees;
                    ``(G) the extent to which academic quality was 
                affected, and how;
                    ``(H) the extent to which policies and practices 
                reducing costs and prices may be replicated from one 
                institution to another; and
                    ``(I) other information as necessary to determine 
                best practices in increasing the affordability of 
                postsecondary education.
            ``(2) Final report.--The Comptroller General shall submit a 
        report regarding the findings of the study required by 
        paragraph (2) to the appropriate authorizing committees of 
        Congress not later than July 31, 2010.
    ``(g) Student Aid Recipient Survey.--
            ``(1) Survey required.--The Secretary shall conduct a 
        survey of student aid recipients under title IV on a regular 
        and State-by-State basis, but not less than once every 4 
        years--
                    ``(A) to identify the population of students 
                receiving Federal student aid;
                    ``(B) to describe the income distribution and other 
                socioeconomic characteristics of federally aided 
                students;
                    ``(C) to describe the combinations of aid from 
                State, Federal, and private sources received by 
                students from all income groups;
                    ``(D) to describe the debt burden of educational 
                loan recipients and their capacity to repay their 
                education debts, and the impact of such debt burden on 
                career choices;
                    ``(E) to describe the role played by the price of 
                postsecondary education in the determination by 
                students of what institution to attend; and
                    ``(F) to describe how the increased costs of 
                textbooks and other instructional materials affects the 
                costs of postsecondary education to students.
            ``(2) Survey design.--The survey shall be representative of 
        full-time and part-time, undergraduate, graduate, and 
        professional and current and former students in all types of 
        institutions, and designed and administered in consultation 
        with the Congress and the postsecondary education community.
            ``(3) Dissemination.--The Secretary shall disseminate the 
        information resulting from the survey in both printed and 
        machine readable form.
    ``(h) Regulations.--The Secretary is authorized to issue such 
regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this 
section.''.

          TITLE II--INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO HIGHER EDUCATION

SEC. 201. COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

    Part G of title IV is amended by inserting after section 486 (20 
U.S.C. 1093) the following new section:

``SEC. 486A. COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section--
            ``(1) to provide, through a college affordability 
        demonstration program, for increased innovation in the delivery 
        of higher education and student financial aid in a manner 
        resulting in reduced costs for students as well as the 
        institution by accelerating degree or program completion, 
        increasing availability of, and access to, distance components 
        of education delivery, and other alternative methodologies; and
            ``(2) to help determine--
                    ``(A) the most effective means of delivering 
                student financial aid as well as quality education;
                    ``(B) the specific statutory and regulatory 
                requirements that should be altered to provide for more 
                efficient and effective delivery of student financial 
                aid, as well as access to high quality distance 
                education programs, resulting in a student more 
                efficiently completing postsecondary education; and
                    ``(C) the most effective methods of obtaining and 
                managing institutional resources.
    ``(b) Demonstration Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--In accordance with the purposes 
        described in subsection (a) and the provisions of subsection 
        (d), the Secretary is authorized to select not more than 100 
        institutions of higher education or systems of such 
        institutions for voluntary participation in the College 
        Affordability Demonstration Program in order to enable 
        participating institutions to carry out such purposes by 
        providing programs of postsecondary education, and making 
        available student financial assistance under this title to 
        students enrolled in those programs, in a manner that would not 
        otherwise meet the requirements of this title.
            ``(2) Waivers.--The Secretary is authorized to waive for 
        any institutions of higher education, or any system or 
        consortia of institutions of higher education, selected for 
        participation in the College Affordability Demonstration 
        Program, any requirements of this Act or the regulations 
        thereunder as deemed necessary by the Secretary to meet the 
        purpose described in subsection (a)(1).
            ``(3) Eligible applicants.--
                    ``(A) Eligible institutions.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraphs (B) and (C), only an institution of 
                higher education that is eligible to participate in 
                programs under this title shall be eligible to 
                participate in the demonstration program authorized 
                under this section.
                    ``(B) Prohibition.--An institution of higher 
                education described in section 102(a)(1)(C) shall not 
                be eligible to participate in the demonstration program 
                authorized under this section.
                    ``(C) Special rule.--Subject to subparagraph (B), 
                an institution of higher education that meets the 
                requirements of subsection (a) of section 102, other 
                than the requirement of paragraph (3)(A) or (3)(B) of 
                such subsection, and that provides a 2-year or 4-year 
                program of instruction for which the institution awards 
                an associate or baccalaureate degree, shall be eligible 
                to participate in the demonstration program authorized 
                under this section.
    ``(c) Application.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each institution or system of 
        institutions desiring to participate in the demonstration 
        program under this section shall submit an application to the 
        Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may 
        require.
            ``(2) Contents of applications.--Each application for the 
        college affordability demonstration program shall include at 
        least the following:
                    ``(A) a description of the institution or system of 
                institutions and what quality assurance mechanisms are 
                in place to insure the integrity of the federal 
                financial aid programs;
                    ``(B) a description of each regulatory or statutory 
                requirement for which waivers are sought, with a reason 
                for each waiver;
                    ``(C) a description of the programs being offered 
                and the affected students;
                    ``(D) a description of the expected outcomes of the 
                program changes proposed, including the estimated 
                reductions in costs both for the institution and for 
                students;
                    ``(E) a description of any collaborative 
                arrangements with other institutions or organizations 
                to reduce costs;
                    ``(F) a description of any expected economic impact 
                of participation in the program within the community in 
                which the institution is located;
                    ``(G) a description of how the institution will 
                reduce the costs of instructional materials, including 
                textbooks;
                    ``(H) an assurance that the participating 
                institution or system of institutions will offer full 
                cooperation with the ongoing evaluations of the 
                demonstration program provided for in this section; and
                    ``(I) any other information or assurances the 
                Secretary may require.
    ``(d) Selection.--In selecting institutions to participate in the 
demonstration program under this section, the Secretary shall take into 
account--
            ``(1) the number and quality of applications received, 
        determined on the basis of the contents required by subsection 
        (c)(2);
            ``(2) the Department's capacity to oversee and monitor each 
        institution's participation;
            ``(3) an institution's--
                    ``(A) financial responsibility;
                    ``(B) administrative capability;
                    ``(C) program or programs being offered via 
                distance education;
                    ``(D) student completion rates; and
                    ``(E) student loan default rates; and
            ``(4) ensuring the participation of a diverse group of 
        institutions with respect to size, mission, and geographic 
        distribution.
    ``(e) Notification.--The Secretary shall make available to the 
public and to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
of the Senate and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the 
House of Representatives a list of institutions and systems of 
institutions selected to participate in the demonstration program 
authorized by this section. Such notice shall include a listing of the 
specific statutory and regulatory requirements being waived for each 
institution or system of institutions and a description of the distance 
education courses to be offered.
    ``(f) Evaluations and Reports.--
            ``(1) Evaluation.--The Secretary shall evaluate the 
        demonstration program authorized under this section on a 
        biennial basis. Such evaluations specifically shall review--
                    ``(A) the number and types of students 
                participating in the programs offered, including the 
                progress of participating students toward recognized 
                certificates or degrees and the extent to which 
                participation in such programs increased;
                    ``(B) issues related to student financial 
                assistance for distance education;
                    ``(C) effective technologies and alternative 
                methodologies for delivering student financial 
                assistance;
                    ``(D) the extent of the cost savings to the 
                institution, the student, and the Federal Government by 
                virtue of the waivers provided, and an estimate as to 
                future cost savings should the demonstration program 
                continue;
                    ``(E) the extent to which students saved money by 
                virtue of completing their postsecondary education 
                sooner;
                    ``(F) the extent to which the institution reduced 
                its tuition and fees and its costs by virtue of 
                participation in the demonstration program;
                    ``(G) the extent to which any collaborative 
                arrangements with other institutions or organizations 
                have reduced the participating institution's costs; and
                    ``(H) the extent to which statutory or regulatory 
                requirements not waived under the demonstration program 
                present difficulties for students or institutions.
            ``(2) Policy analysis.--The Secretary shall review current 
        policies and identify those policies that present impediments 
        to the development and use of distance education and other 
        nontraditional methods of expanding access to education.
            ``(3) Reports.--The Secretary shall provide a report to the 
        Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the 
        House of Representatives on an annual basis regarding--
                    ``(A) the demonstration program authorized under 
                this section;
                    ``(B) the results of the evaluations conducted 
                under subsection (f);
                    ``(C) the cost savings to the Federal Government by 
                the demonstration program authorized by this section; 
                and
                    ``(D) recommendations for policy, statutory, or 
                regulatory changes to increase the efficiency and 
                effective delivery of financial aid.
    ``(g) Oversight.--In conducting the demonstration program 
authorized under this section, the Secretary shall, on a continuing 
basis--
            ``(1) ensure compliance of institutions or systems of 
        institutions with the requirements of this title (other than 
        the sections and regulations that are waived under subsection 
        (b)(2));
            ``(2) provide technical assistance to institutions in their 
        application to and participation in the demonstration program;
            ``(3) monitor fluctuations in the student population 
        enrolled in the participating institutions or systems of 
        institutions;
            ``(4) monitor changes in financial assistance provided at 
        the institution; and
            ``(5) consult with appropriate accrediting agencies or 
        associations and appropriate State regulatory authorities.
    ``(h) Termination of Authority.--The authority of the Secretary 
under this section shall cease to be effective on October 1, 2010.''.

                     TITLE III--TRANSFER OF CREDIT

SEC. 301. REQUIREMENT RELATING TO CREDIT TRANSFER.

    (a) Program Participation Agreements.--Section 487(a) (20 U.S.C. 
1094(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(24)(A) The institution will not exclude the transfer of 
        credits earned by a student completing courses or programs at 
        other eligible institutions of higher education solely on the 
        basis of the agency or association that accredited such other 
        eligible institution if that agency or association is 
        recognized by the Secretary pursuant to section 496 to be a 
        reliable authority as to the quality of the education or 
        training offered and is currently listed by the Secretary 
        pursuant to section 101(c).
            ``(B) The institution will base decisions on whether to 
        accept such credits on the basis of whether (i) the courses or 
        programs are equivalent in content to the courses or programs 
        offered by the institution, and (ii) the student completed such 
        courses or programs at the institution's required level of 
        proficiency.
            ``(C) The institution will report publicly, on an annual as 
        well as a three-year rolling average basis, the percentage of 
        credits accepted in transfer and fully counted toward the 
        degree or certificate completion requirements of undergraduate 
        students. Such data shall be disaggregated to report on the 
        following categories of institutions from which credits were 
        accepted in transfer: (i) nationally accredited; (ii) 
        regionally accredited in the same State; (iii) regionally 
        accredited in the same region; and (iv) regionally accredited 
        in a different region.''.
    (b) Accrediting Agency and Association Requirements.--Section 
496(a) (20 U.S.C. 1099b(a)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (7);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (8) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(9) such agency or association not adopt or apply 
        standards, policies, or practices that restrict or deny the 
        transfer of credits earned by a student completing courses or 
        programs at other eligible institutions of higher education 
        solely on the basis of the agency or association that 
        accredited such other eligible institution if that agency or 
        association is recognized by the Secretary pursuant to this 
        section to be a reliable authority as to the quality of the 
        education or training offered and is currently listed by the 
        Secretary pursuant to section 101(c).''.
    (c) Accrediting Agency Standards.--Section 496(a)(5) (20 U.S.C. 
1099b(a)(5)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (I);
            (2) by inserting ``and'' after the semicolon at the end of 
        subparagraph (J); and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (J) the following new 
        subparagraph:
                    ``(K) policies for the transfer of credit and the 
                notification of the public of such policies;''.

                      TITLE IV--SENSE OF CONGRESS

SEC. 401. REGULATORY BURDEN IMPACT ON TUITION AND FEES.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) reducing administrative and regulatory burdens within 
        the Federal student financial assistance programs will improve 
        efficiency and reduce the costs associated with the management 
        of such programs, as well as increase the affordability of 
        postsecondary education for all students;
            (2) in consultation with postsecondary institutions, States 
        should take an active role in reviewing and modifying 
        administrative and reporting requirements for institutions and 
        students within the student financial assistance programs 
        controlled by such States, in an effort to reduce such burdens 
        and costs; and
            (3) the Department of Education and the States, in 
        considering the implementation of regulations or administrative 
        requirements, should take into consideration and determine the 
        amount of additional burden and costs being placed on 
        institutions and students before such regulation or 
        administrative requirement is implemented.
                                 <all>