Al Franken: “I rise today to talk about a bill I have just introduced, the Arbitration Fairness for Students Act, and to talk about…”

“I rise today to talk about a bill I have just introduced, the Arbitration Fairness for Students Act, and to talk about why it is so important to protect our Nation's students. Access to higher education is becoming increasingly important in our Nation. In 2018, 70 percent of the jobs in our State, Minnesota, will require some postsecondary education. We must also make sure access to higher education remains and stays a positive experience and not a damaging one. Colleges and universities need to deliver on the promises they make to students. If they don't, students need to be able to hold them accountable. That is why I have introduced this bill today along with Senator Harkin and six cosponsors, including Senator Sanders. It would prohibit any school participating in the title IV Federal student aid system from forcing its students to forego access to the courts when they have a valid dispute and instead forcing them into private arbitration proceedings. This bill is simply about accountability. It is about the basic American right to seek justice in our court system--a right that is, unfortunately, being denied now to thousands of students after the landmark Supreme Court decision in the AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion case. A recent report from Public Citizen and the National Association of Consumer Advocates highlights how that decision is harming students.…”