Robert Smith: “Mr. President, I believe the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act reestablishes our commitment to the young…”

“Mr. President, I believe the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act reestablishes our commitment to the young people of our Nation by focusing on one of our Nation's founding principles--opportunity. By improving the quality of teacher training and recruitment, increasing the purchasing power of students through Pell grants and other forms of student assistance, and by improving access to higher education for students with disabilities, this legislation provides opportunity for the young people of our Nation to seek a higher education. While I could continue to talk about the many merits of this bill, there is one issue that has been of great concern to me and to the students and parents of my State, and that is the rapidly rising cost of tuition. Even as we battle--successfully--every year to give more and more of our Nation's children an opportunity to seek a higher education by expanding Federal financial assistance, the cost of tuition continues to increase far beyond the Consumer Price Index--thus offsetting our efforts to expand education opportunities.”