Political Quotes

“I am proud to join Senator Sessions and other colleagues in launching an initiative to increase Americans' access to college education. Today, we are introducing the Collegiate Learning and Student Savings Act. This bill would extend tax-free treatment to all state sponsored prepaid tuition plans and state savings plans in the year 2000. This legislation would also give prepaid tuition plans established by private colleges and universities tax-deferred treatment in 2000, and tax-exempt status by 2004. Prepaid college tuition and savings programs have flourished at the state level in the face of spiraling college costs. According to the College Board, between 1980 and 1997, tuition at public colleges increased by 107 percent, while the median income increased just 12 percent. The cause of this dramatic increase in tuition is the subject of significant debate. But whether these increases are attributable to increased costs to the universities, reductions in state funding for public universities, or the increased value of a college degree, the fact remains that financing a college education has become increasingly difficult.”