Washington, D.C. -— U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) on Thursday joined a bipartisan majority in voting for legislation to address the soaring price of college tuition and to make college more accessible for students.
The House approved H.R. 4137, the Higher Education Opportunity Act, by a vote of 380 — 49.
“To remain competitive in the 21st-century global marketplace, we must provide students with access to a strong college and university system,” said Etheridge. “As the first member of my family to graduate from college, I know firsthand that access to an affordable education is the key to the American dream. Today’s bill will help more students to reach that dream.”
The bill takes several steps to make college more affordable. It streamlines the federal student financial aid application, making it easier for students and their families to apply for aid. It will also create a user-friendly web site to provide student and families with information about tuition rates, including a web-based calculator that estimates the full cost of college. The bill encourages colleges to use innovative methods to keep costs down and requires colleges and universities to report their reasons for tuition increases. H.R. 4137 makes textbook costs more manageable by providing students and professors with advanced information on textbook pricing.
The bill also recognizes the sacrifices of military families by requiring states to offer in-state tuition rates to soldiers and their dependents when the solider is deployed for more than 30 days. It also creates a new scholarship initiative for active duty military personnel and family members.
The Senate is expected to pass the bill and send it to the President’s desk.