Van Hollen Votes To Support Critical Investments In Education

Press Release

Van Hollen Votes To Support Critical Investments In Education

Today Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Assistant to the Speaker, issued the following statement on House passage of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act:

"In passing the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, we are proving greater access to education today and building a strong 21st Century workforce for tomorrow. It is a long overdue investment that will ensure that every child has access to a high quality education, from birth to graduation day.

"As part of our commitment to fiscal responsibility, we are making this vital investment without adding a single penny to the federal deficit. In fact, this legislation will direct $10 billion in savings to the Treasury to help pay down the deficit."

BACKGROUND

The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) provides access to college by ensuring that students have a reliable source of affordable federal loans and it simplifies the FAFSA form, making it easier for families to apply for aid. This is critical to improving access to higher education -- in Maryland, for example, 103,249 students borrowed subsidized loans in 2008. It also provides necessary funding for the Pell Grant program and increases the amount of the award. In the Eighth District alone, 13,372 students will be eligible for this award in the 2010 -2011 academic year.

SAFRA will also help students stay in college with a new federal emphasis on college completion. As increasing numbers of Americans turn to community college for job training, this bill invests $3 billion nationally to fund programs to retain and graduate students, resulting in at least $1.5 million a year for the next five years in Maryland.

SAFRA provides access to quality early childhood education by making new investments in innovative birth through five programs. The bill ensures that every child enters kindergarten ready to succeed by transforming early education standards and building our early childhood workforce.

This legislation also provides access to safe places to learn with funds to repair crumbling schools and make energy-efficiency improvements to save money over the long term. To this end, Maryland will receive more than $51.1 million over the next two years.

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