[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3808-3809]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     STRENGTHENING HIGHER EDUCATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Knight). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of January 6, 2015, the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. 
Foxx) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority 
leader.
  Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, today, too many Americans struggle to realize 
the dream of higher education. Our current system is unaffordable, 
inflexible, and outdated, and it has resulted in too many students 
unable to complete college, saddled with loan debt, and ill-equipped to 
compete in our modern economy.
  In recent years, burdensome Federal regulations, a lack of 
transparency, and a dizzying maze of student aid programs have only 
contributed to the problem. Students and families deserve better.
  Mr. Speaker, when my husband and I were in high school and 
contemplating the possibility of college, we were penniless people. In 
his case, his parents had no formal education--they couldn't read and 
write--and my family had very limited education, but we understood then 
that the way out of poverty was to go to college, work hard, and get a 
good job. Folks like us who had no resources could do that. It is very 
difficult for people in this day and time to do what he and I did. He 
graduated from college with a very small debt. I graduated from college 
with absolutely no debt because of working my way through. It did take 
me 7 years to do it, but I was able to do it.
  Mr. Speaker, we want to be able to provide an environment in this 
country where people with very limited resources can do what my husband 
and I and millions of other young people did in the past, which is get 
a higher education without going deeply into debt to do so.
  The upcoming reauthorization of the Higher Education Act provides 
Congress an opportunity to help every individual--regardless of age, 
location, or background--access and complete higher education if they 
choose.
  To inform the reauthorization process, the Education and the 
Workforce Committee has held 15 hearings over the last several years. 
After receiving feedback from students, institutions, innovators, 
administrators, and researchers, the committee established a set of key 
principles that will guide our reform of the postsecondary education 
law.
  First, we must empower students and families to make informed 
decisions when it comes to selecting the institution that meets their 
unique needs. Today's higher education resources are incomplete and 
inaccurate and often complicate the financial aid process, misguiding 
students about their academic and financial options. Developing a more 
streamlined and transparent system, as well as enhancing financial 
literacy services, will help students better understand the higher 
education landscape and make choices based on easy-to-understand, 
relevant information.
  Second, we must simplify and improve student aid. Currently, the 
Federal Government operates more than 10 aid programs, each with its 
own set of

[[Page 3809]]

rules and requirements. Many students, particularly first-generation 
and low-income students, are overwhelmed by the complexity of the 
current system, which can ultimately deter them from accessing the aid 
that will help make college a reality.

                              {time}  1545

  Consolidating this patchwork of aid programs will simplify the 
application and eligibility process and help more students understand, 
manage, and repay their debt.
  Third, we must promote innovation, access, and completion. In recent 
years, as the postsecondary student population has changed, many 
institutions have developed new approaches to delivering higher 
education, including competency-based curriculums and online classes.
  The Federal Government should make every effort to support these 
innovations, as they have enabled more Americans to earn a degree or 
certificate faster with less cost and without additional disruption to 
their daily lives.
  Finally, we must ensure strong accountability by limiting the Federal 
role. The current administration has subjected institutions to onerous 
regulations and requirements, which have created a costly and time-
consuming process, hampered innovation, and jeopardized academic 
freedom.
  Eliminating ineffective Federal burdens will provide States and 
institutions the flexibility they need to deliver effectively a high-
quality education to their students.
  We are confident that these pillars will translate into meaningful 
Federal reforms that reflect the evolving needs of students and the 
workforce.
  Yesterday, the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce 
Training held its first hearing of the 114th Congress, where we heard 
policy recommendations on how we can strengthen America's higher 
education system to serve students, families, workers, and taxpayers 
better.
  Former Indiana Governor and Purdue University President Mitch Daniels 
testified:

       It is my great hope that this Congress will have the 
     courage to see the challenges and treat reauthorization of 
     the Higher Education Act as an opportunity for reform.

  He continued:

       The country needs a reauthorization that will reduce the 
     costs of higher education's regulatory burdens, simplify and 
     improve student aid, and create an environment more conducive 
     to innovation in higher education.

  Dr. Christine Keller, vice president of the Association of Public and 
Land-grant Universities, stressed the need for ``access to clear, 
meaningful data . . . to answer questions and provide essential 
information for higher education stakeholders--for students and 
families to make more informed decisions about where to attend college, 
for policymakers to determine allocations of public resources and 
evaluate institutional effectiveness, and for college leaders to 
facilitate innovation and successful student outcomes.''
  After outlining several opportunities for simplifying Federal aid, 
Mr. Michael Bennett, associate vice president for financial aid 
services at St. Petersburg College, recommended ``a new repayment model 
that will simplify and streamline the repayment process by collapsing 
the various existing plans into two basic plans . . . simplifying 
repayment for students would certainly decrease default rates and the 
taxpayers' burden of having to shoulder the costs of defaulted loans.''
  In the coming months, there will be many conversations and what can 
be done to maintain the strength of our robust higher education system. 
We have a responsibility to act now to preserve our unique role in the 
world as a summit of opportunity.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________