Washington, D.C. – After two full days of debate, Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Marietta) and the House Education and Labor Committee voted today to advance landmark higher education legislation, the College Affordability Act (H.R. 4674). This reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, first passed in 1965, works to lower the cost of college, improve the quality of higher education, and expand opportunity for students from all backgrounds. McBath had four pieces of legislation and a unanimous amendment included in the bill.
“I’m so proud of the time and hard work my colleagues have dedicated to making college more affordable. We’ve held multiple bipartisan hearings and heard directly from stakeholders to ensure we are improving our education system for every student,” said McBath. “The legislation I’ve joined my colleagues in introducing, and countless other measures in this bill, show the American people that we believe in the importance of an affordable, accessible, and valuable education.”
During the markup of the bill, Rep. Lucy McBath introduced an amendment to provide for collaboration between community colleges and businesses, supporting the development of students’ skills. The amendment passed with unanimous support from all Democrats and Republicans present on the dais.
“As we work to strengthen our higher education system, we are also working to ensure that America’s workforce is well-prepared to support our businesses,” McBath continued. “This collaboration gives students the opportunity to gain insight and experience they can’t learn from a textbook alone. We owe it to our students, our businesses, and our communities to make sure that we are providing the opportunities they need to thrive.”
Legislation from McBath included in the bold package to improve higher education contains the bipartisan Campus Prevention and Recovery Services for Students Act of 2019, H.R. 3591, to help higher education institutions prevent alcohol and substance misuse, the Relief for Defrauded Students Act of 2019, H.R. 3662, to provide options for loan-forgiveness for students who were defrauded by for-profit institutions, the Pell Grant Restoration Act, H.R.4298, to give Pell Grant eligibility back to students who were misled by similar for-profit institutions, and the HOPE (Heightening Opportunities for Pathways to Education) for FAFSA Act, H.R. 4245, to simplify the federal aid application process and allow more families the opportunity to receive financial aid.
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