Brian Jones: “first of all, I want to thank deeply my colleague from Tennessee for the work he has done not just with me on this bill…”

“first of all, I want to thank deeply my colleague from Tennessee for the work he has done not just with me on this bill but over the years. This has been such an incredible work in progress, and I am appreciative of all of that work that has gone on. I am honored today to be part of this bill we are introducing that I believe is so important to so many families around the country and particularly in our States of Tennessee and Alabama. Anyone who has applied to college or helped someone through the process is all too familiar with that dreaded FAFSA form. As a father with three kids who have gone off to college, I can tell you it just doesn't get any easier. In fact, the free application for Federal student aid hasn't gotten any easier for nearly the 30 years it has been in existence. Despite the headaches it can cause, it is so important for students to fill out that FAFSA. It is so important for families to have that FAFSA form. It is a key to accessing grants, scholarships, and loans that can put a college education within reach. Far too often, as Senator Alexander said, it can intimidate people from even starting it. Also, once they get the letter asking for an audit, they just stop. Currently, the FAFSA is over 10 pages long. Often when I am back in Alabama, I say it is almost like filling out tax returns for Apple Computer or IBM or one of the big corporations. It has 108 questions.…”