There may be few issues that Republicans and Democrats agree on these days, but protecting college students and graduates from sky-high student loan rates should be one of them. The Smarter Solutions for Students Act, currently pending before the Senate, ties student loan rates to the market instead of leaving interest rates up to politicians’ whims. On July 1, these rates are set to double from ... Read more »
House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), chair of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, issued the following statement on the Obama administration’s decision to continue pursuing the widely-panned ‘gainful employment’ regulation: It is disgraceful the administration continues to ignore the significant threat the so... Read more »
On Thursday, June 13 at 10:00 a.m., the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, chaired by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), will hold a hearing entitled, “Keeping College Within Reach: Discussing Program Quality Through Accreditation.” The hearing will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Accreditation plays an important role in promoting the academic quality of... Read more »
On Wednesday June 12, at 10:00 a.m., the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, chaired by Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN), will hold a hearing entitled, “Strengthening the Multiemployer Pension System: What Reforms Should Policymakers Consider?" The hearing will take place in room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Multiemployer defined benefit pension plans are created by collecti... Read more »
On Saturday Representative Luke Messer (R-IN) discussed the Smarter Solutions for Students Act (H.R. 1911) in the weekly GOP address. Recently approved by the House of Representatives, this commonsense legislation would stop new subsidized student loan interest rates from doubling on July 1st. During his remarks, Rep. Messer explained how H.R. 1911 is a long-term, market-based solution that takes ... Read more »
It wasn’t long ago the president supported a permanent solution to the student loan interest rate crisis. Here is how the administration described the president’s plan in April of this year: The Administration’s FY 2014 Budget proposes to change the structure of interest rates on Federal student and parent loans to provide market-based rates tied to the 10-year Treasury note with specified basis p... Read more »
House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Chairman Todd Rokita (R-IN) today introduced legislation to reform the nation’s K-12 education system. Based on proposals advanced through the committee in the 112th Congress, the Student Success Act (H.R. 5) will restore local control, support more effective... Read more »
THE PROBLEM: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, currently known as No Child Left Behind, has been due for reauthorization since 2007. Despite its best intentions, there is widespread agreement that the current law is no longer effectively serving students. No Child Left Behind’s ‘Adequate Yearly Progress’ (AYP) metric proves one-size-fits-all federal accountability mandates hamper innova... Read more »
Dear Secretary Lew, Secretary Sebelius, and Acting-Secretary Harris: We write to seek clarification of the Obama administration’s regulatory and enforcement efforts related to stop loss insurance. Specifically, we are concerned the administration may be considering regulating stop loss insurance. Such regulations could limit an employer’s ability to self-insure, making this important option both ... Read more »
Today the Obama administration released a Statement of Administration Policy endorsing a Senate proposal to kick the can down the road on student loan interest rates. The approach now supported by the president would ensure millions of borrowers will face another interest rate cliff in two short years – exacerbating the confusion and uncertainty facing families and students. This is a sharp detour... Read more »
