Legislative Update: July 28, 2009
Last Tuesday, the House Education and Labor Committee passed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) by a bipartisan vote of 30 to 17. The full House of Representatives was expected to vote on the bill this week; however it is not on the floor schedule and likely will not come to vote until after the August recess.
The legislation would make college more affordable for millions of Americans, at no new cost to taxpayers. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the legislation would generate $87 billion in savings over the next 10 years by ending the Federal Family Education Loan Program. The SAFRA would invest those savings directly in students and families by:
• Investing $40 billion to increase the maximum annual Pell Grant award to $5,550 in 2010 and to $6,900 by 2019. Beginning in 2010, the grant will increase at the rate of the Consumer Price Index plus one percentage point;
• Investing $3 billion to grow college access and completion support programs for students;
• Making it easier for families to apply for financial aid by simplifying the FAFSA form; and
• Providing loan forgiveness for members of the military who are called up to duty in the middle of the academic year.
In addition, the SAFRA would direct $10 billion of savings back to the U.S. Treasury toward deficit reduction.
Prior to the Committee markup, NACAC sent a letter to Committee members supporting the important and historic investment in student assistance.
House Passes FY 2010 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Bill
On Friday, the House passed the FY 2010 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill. The spending bill includes $55 million for the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program (ESSCP), which represents a $3 million increase from 2009. In addition, the bill provides $868 million for the TRIO programs and $333 million for GEAR UP, representing a $20 million increase from each fiscal year 2009 and the budget request for both programs. It is estimated that with the increased funding to TRIO and GEAR UP, approximately 1.7 million disadvantaged and first-generation college students will be assisted to prepare for, enter, and complete college (an increase of 51,000 students over fiscal year 2009).
NACAC advocated for education appropriations in a letter to the House on Friday morning. NACAC’s funding chart for priority programs has been updated with the FY 2010 House proposal and is available online. The full bill text is available at the House Appropriations Committee online.
The Senate Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Subcommittee will mark up its FY 2010 spending bill Tuesday (July 28) and the full Appropriations Committee will mark up the bill on Thursday (July 30).
NACAC Members in Action
The NACAC Member Action page features NACAC members’ advocacy efforts. Check it out here!
If you or your affiliate colleagues have government relations news releases, web pages, conference presentations, conference agendas, testimony, or any other materials related to advocacy, please submit them for inclusion in “Members in Action” by emailing me at amodar@nacacnet.org.
Find legislation in your state that affects your job and the students you serve: NACAC’s State Legislative Portal.