Strengthening Higher Education

Floor Speech

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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 Our current system is unaffordable, inflexible, and outdated, and it has resulted in too many students unable to complete college, saddled with loan debt, and ill-equipped to compete in our modern economy.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 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.

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.

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