Press Releases

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Opening Statement of House Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (remarks as prepared):

This bill marks a continuation of the committee’s efforts to simplify, and target, the federal government’s role in our education system. Since the beginning of this Congress, we have held several hearings to examine how federal mandates and regulations affect schools and institutions of higher education.  Throughout those hearings, administrators and school officials have highlighted poorly conceived regulations that lead to wasted time and wasted money, ultimately penalizing students.

During this time of economic uncertainty and high unemployment, it is more important than ever to make sure the federal government does not stand in the way of Americans who wish to continue their education and gain the skills necessary for a more prosperous future.

As I’ve said many times before, education is a jobs issue. We know workers who obtain a college degree or higher are much less likely to face unemployment. The current unemployment rate for individuals with a postsecondary degree is only 4.5 percent, much lower than the 9.1 percent national average. Additionally, individuals who advance in their education earn markedly higher salaries. For example, in 2009, college graduates earned on average roughly $40,000 more than a high school dropout.

Clearly, a strong higher education system is critical to preparing American graduates for an increasingly competitive workforce. However, recent regulatory initiatives by the Department of Education will place unnecessary and excessive strain on colleges and universities.

Two regulations proposed last October are particularly troublesome – threatening to needlessly inject the federal government into what has traditionally been the jurisdiction of states and postsecondary institutions. Dr. Foxx’s legislation would repeal these unnecessary and burdensome regulations, protecting academic institutions and prospective students from significant financial and bureaucratic burdens.

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Statement of Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (remarks as prepared):

We are here today to repeal two burdensome federal regulations that will negatively impact states and institutions of higher education across the country. The credit hour and state authorization regulations would allow the federal government to interfere in areas that have historically been the responsibility of institutions and states.

The state authorization regulation requires states to follow federal requirements when deciding whether to allow individual colleges and universities to operate within the state. For institutions providing online education programs, this regulation could require them to obtain authorization in every state where enrolled students reside in order to participate in the federal student aid programs.

Consider a rural community where few education opportunities exist. For prospective students in these regions, online education programs can provide a wealth of course options that aren’t otherwise available. But what if a higher education institution decides obtaining an authorization to offer services in the student’s state isn’t worth the hassle? Or what if the state doesn’t have the personnel to handle the volume of requests from colleges and universities? Both of these scenarios showcase the potentially serious consequences that could result from the state authorization regulation.

The equally troubling credit hour regulation establishes a federally-mandated definition of a credit hour. Many institutions offer a broad range of academic programs which serve different student populations. A mid-career professional who is enrolled in a distance learning program may spend more time reading outside the classroom as compared to an on-campus student who attends class discussions each week. A standard definition of a credit hour could discriminate against some of these non-traditional educational programs.

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To view a bill summary, click here.  To view markup materials, click here.

 

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