The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday passed two bipartisan bills that aim to bolster Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and prevent debt relief scams that target federal student loan borrowers, Politico reported.
One of the approved measures, S. 461, introduced last year by Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Chris Coons (D-DE), would codify the President's Board of Advisors on HBCUs and require federal agencies that run programs benefiting those schools to make more of an effort to engage and support HBCU participation. Agencies will also have to measure, track and report back to Congress on their progress. The amended bill now returns to the Senate for consideration as early as this week.
The other bill, S. 1153, approved by the upper chamber last week, would create federal criminal penalties for using another person's account information to fraudulently access Education Department computer systems "for purposes of obtaining commercial advantage or private financial gain." The bill would also require the department to educate federal student loan borrowers about debt relief scams and to proactively warn borrowers about potentially suspicious activity on their accounts. The measure now goes to President Trump for his signature, Politico reported
Additionally, House and Senate negotiators may be close to reaching a deal to simplify applying for student aid—a major priority for Lamar Alexander, chair of the Senate education committee, who retires early next year. Aides to the House and Senate education committees from both parties "have been trying to reach a deal and appear to be close," according to Inside Higher Ed.
Although lawmakers have yet to reach a final deal, a bill sponsored by Sens. Alexander (R-TN) and Doug Jones (D-AL) would reduce the number of questions on the form to 33, and many of the answers would be automatically filled from tax filings. The legislation would also change eligibility for Pell Grants so that it would take into account the size of student's families in examining their income.
Senator Patty Murray, ranking member of the education committee, had been holding off on supporting the proposal hoping to use it as leverage in negotiations over a broader reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, according to Inside Higher Ed. However, Democrats now appear more willing to advance a separate simplification measure in exchange for smaller changes.
"The pandemic has had a profound impact on families across the country. FAFSA must be a tool to expand access to education, not a barrier. Students who need our help the most are facing the biggest burden in getting financial aid. We need to do everything we can to make their lives easier," Murray said at an education committee hearing in September.
The changes could be included as part of the spending bill being negotiated by congressional leaders, and they are likely to have the support of top senators like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Inside Higher Ed reported.
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Politico Pro (subscription required)
https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2020/12/house-passes-hbcu-partners-bill-to-bolster-white-house-buy-in-2023223
Politico Pro (subscription required)
https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2020/12/congress-cracks-down-on-student-debt-scams-2023193
Inside Higher Ed
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/12/07/congress-could-make-fafsa-more-simple