Tim Kaine: “I appreciate my Senate colleague's desire to increase accountability and transparency of student outcomes. As Governor…”

“I appreciate my Senate colleague's desire to increase accountability and transparency of student outcomes. As Governor, I was doing the same thing with Virginia institutions. I view his request as a little bit of a non sequitur. It is not really connected to mine. He mentioned that we shouldn't be throwing more money at colleges. Let me make plain again that my request does not cost a penny. It is not about an additional penny for colleges. It is about implementing the CARES Act, which was passed on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote by this body on March 26. Senator Scott's bill does not deal with something we have already done. It does not deal with the COVID emergency. It does deal very directly with something that we are in the process of doing. The HELP Committee right now is considering the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Senator Scott's proposal, dealing with transparency and accountability, fits squarely within the discussion that the HELP Committee is currently having about reauthorization of HEA, and it is an appropriate and important topic for the committee to grapple with as we work on the HEA reauthorization. But in that sense, I am a little puzzled because there is a venue for his proposal right now in the HEA reauthorization discussion as we go forward and look at what more accountability we would ask of our colleges.…”