Concerned that the cost of college continues to rise, Congressman Tierney again introduced his College Affordability and Accessibility Act (H.R.3519), which would, among other things, provide incentives to make tuition affordable.

Specifically, Congressman Tierney’s bill would provide additional mandatory Pell Grant funds, or “Pell Plus Grants,” to schools that keep their annual net tuition increases at a rate equal to, or below, the increase in the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI) for that academic year. In addition, schools that guarantee low tuition rates to incoming classes of students through their graduation would receive additional Pell Plus student aid. Further, the Act puts students and families in control because it would provide them access to accurate information about the cost of college and the steps individual schools are taking to offer affordable rates of tuition.

Congressman Tierney's bill was incorporated into broader legislation entitled the College Opportunity and Affordability Act (H.R. 4137), which was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives in February. The College Opportunity and Affordability Act reauthorizes the Higher Education Act and takes a number of steps to see that colleges rein in price increases; the federal student aid process is simplified; and the costs of textbook costs becomes more manageable.

The College Opportunity and Affordability Act also includes a key provision, authored by Congressman Tierney, requiring states to maintain their fiscal support for higher education or risk losing some federal funding. Historically, a financial partnership has existed among families, higher-education institutions, states and the federal government to meet the challenge of getting more qualified students into college and through graduation so they might become contributing members of our society. But lately, declining and irregular public investment has been skewing the partnership’s contributions, such that families and the federal government have been forced to assume a greater proportional share of the financial responsibility of providing access to higher education. Congressman Tierney believes his “state maintenance of effort” provision is critical to ensuring that states maintain their commitment to higher education.

Congressman Tierney spoke in favor of H.R. 4137 when it was considered on the House floor, please click HERE to see the Congressman’s statement.

John is continuing to fight to ensure that the College Opportunity and Affordability Act becomes law, and see that Congress builds on last year's successful completion of the College Cost Reduction Act. The College Cost Reduction Act, which was signed into law in September 2007, cut interest rates on student loans in half and included the largest college aid expansion since the 1944 GI Bill.