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LIVE Webcast – This morning, the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training will hold a joint subcommittee hearing with the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight, and Government Spending. Click here to watch the LIVE webcast of the hearing beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET.

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

Supporting freedom of choice in higher education should be a priority for all Members of Congress. Postsecondary education opens doors for greater job opportunities and the chance for a more stable career path, both of which are critical for Americans struggling to make ends meet and support their families in this tough economy. Unfortunately, the administration’s efforts to impose the widely criticized gainful employment regulation on proprietary colleges could severely limit education and job training opportunities for millions of students and inhibit local economic development in communities across the country.

Proprietary colleges are unique institutions with the flexibility to offer courses in formats that meet the demands of the student population and in subjects based on the needs of the local community. The majority of students attending a proprietary institution are what we commonly refer to as “non-traditional students,” meaning they are not attending college right after graduating from high school. In fact, forty-eight percent of students enrolled in a two-year proprietary program and 72 percent of four-year program students are 25 years of age or older.

Many of these students have families, full-time jobs, or seek job training for career opportunities in a new field. The option to take courses in the evenings, on the weekends, at an accelerated pace, or even online can be a valuable alternative for students who may otherwise be unable to pursue postsecondary education.

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To read more about today's hearing, visit www.republicans-edlabor.house.gov/hearings.

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