Tom Harkin: “I am proud to introduce my comprehensive proposal to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, the main law governing…”

“I am proud to introduce my comprehensive proposal to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, the main law governing institutions of higher education in this country. My bill, the Higher Education Affordability Act, is the product of extensive conversations between both parties in Congress and stakeholders across the higher education community. Over the past year, our Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee has held 12 bipartisan hearings on reauthorizing the Higher Education Act on issues ranging from teacher preparation and accreditation to federal student loans and the States' role in higher education. These hearings were purposely designed to better inform members of Congress and the public on the most pressing issues in higher education and how best to address them at the federal level. In June, I put forward a discussion draft that included many of the ideas and policies discussed in our hearings. I asked the entire higher education community--including institutions, accreditors, and student advocacy organizations--to weigh in and offer suggestions on how best to strengthen my initial proposal. I am pleased to say they delivered abundantly on that request. We received comments from over 120 organizations from across the country. What I have put forward today is a direct result of our hearings and the feedback we received.…”