[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 88 (Monday, June 16, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1269]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     INTRODUCTION OF THE ENSURING COLLEGE ACCESS FOR ALL AMERICANS 
                                  ACT

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                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                  in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 16, 2003

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to submit, 
with my colleagues Representatives Kildee, Obey, Owens, Bishop, 
Woolsey, Ryan of Ohio, Tierney, Danny Davis, Kind, Holt, Van Hollen and 
McCollum, the Ensuring College Access for all Americans Act.-
  Higher education is essential to ensure America's economic 
prosperity, national security, health and the success of individuals. 
Yet, as college enrollments swell, states slash higher education 
budgets and tuition continues to skyrocket, millions of American 
students and families continue to struggle to pay for a college 
education.
  Despite these pressures, late last month the Bush administration 
decided to revise methods to determine student financial need, which 
will force a significant number of students and families to pay a 
higher price for a college education. As the June 13th New York Times 
article, ``Change in Aid Formula Shifts More Costs to Students'', 
documents, these revisions to the Federal needs analysis methodology 
for the 2004-2005 award year will result in substantially higher 
college costs for a large number of American students.
  These updates, which were completed by the Department of Education 
without review or approval by the Congress, effectively will eliminate 
Pell grant eligibility for needy students or will reduce Pell grant 
awards or the amount of subsidized loans these students can receive. 
These changes will force students to mortgage their future by going 
further into debt to attend college.
  At a time when the costs of attending college are growing higher 
every month, as states and private institutions raise tuition and other 
costs, I question the timing of these revisions.
  The Department of Education's revisions to the allowance for State 
and other taxes are based on three-year-old data. At the time these 
numbers were compiled, our country had yet to enter the downward 
economic spiral that we find ourselves in today. Students are going to 
be denied critically needed financial aid because of the poor 
performance of the economy. Unfortunately, the failure of the Bush 
Administration to ensure economic viability has now come to rest on the 
backs of needy college bound students.
  The Ensuring College Access for all Americans Act will reverse the 
Administration's revision and make certain that students are not denied 
critical financial aid. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in 
honoring this tradition by supporting the Ensuring College Access for 
all Americans Act. It is an important step to making certain that all 
Americans can access a college education.

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