Mark Udall: “I will support H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007. Overall, it is an excellent bill, but I…”

“I will support H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007. Overall, it is an excellent bill, but I do have a serious concern about the impact of one provision, the state maintenance-of-efforts provision, on Colorado. This bill will reauthorize the Higher Education Act and will help make our colleges and universities more affordable and accessible. I am especially pleased that this bill will help students and families trying to afford the increasing costs of college. The bill increases the maximum Pell grant award to $9,000 annually, up from $5,800. Pell Grants enable many students to attend college, but with rising tuition costs these grants have lost some of their purchasing power. This increase will allow Pell Grants to help students limit debt and expand their education opportunities. Also, Pell Grant scholarships availability will be expanded to year-round to allow students to use the funding when it best works with their schedule. Not only will H.R. 4137 increase federal aid, but it will also make the process of applying for that aid much more straightforward.”