Andy Biggs: “Nobody wants to revoke postsecondary education. What we want to do is acknowledge what the Federal Government has done…”

“Nobody wants to revoke postsecondary education. What we want to do is acknowledge what the Federal Government has done to distort the cost of education. The New York Fed itself has said it is eating it up, and 60 percent of every tuition increase is coming because of this aid. We want to get it down so it is affordable again. We want nobody leaving college crushed by the student debt that they have. That is what is going on here. The fiscal year 2023 enacted level was $3 billion. That is $600 million more than just a few years before in 2019. The 2024 number is slightly less, but it doesn't do enough to cut spending when we are $35.5 trillion in debt. Let's talk about what is happening. Universities are discriminating against conservative-leaning students. We see that. We had a hearing on that just last week. A recent University of North Carolina study found that conservative students within the UNC system face distinctive challenges when it comes to free speech and expression. Nearly 68 percent of conservative students are at least slightly concerned about possible social consequences that may come from voicing one's true opinion in class. It is a massive problem that higher education fosters. It is time that we move the Federal Government out of this business because they don't have any constitutional authority to be there in the first place. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR.…”