On November 10, 2009, 50 organizations representing millions of students, families, workers and educators, wrote to urge the Senate to support President Obama’s higher education agenda. The groups expressed their support for initiatives embodied in the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (H.R. 3221), which recently passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. In a letter dated November 10, 2009 to Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman, Tom Harkin (D-IA), and Ranking Member, Michael Enzi (R-WY), the organizations advocated for an end to subsidies under the FFEL student loan program and for use of the savings—an estimated $87 billion—to make college more accessible and affordable. The groups asked the Senate to make a commitment to students, families and workers by strengthening Pell grants and the Perkins loan program, and making crucial investments in community college, worker retraining, minority serving institutions and early childhood education programs. The cooperation of these organizations, which include major unions, student groups, women’s groups, parents groups, African Americans, Latinos, college admissions officers and registrars, social workers and others, sends the clear message that this legislation is critical for the advancement of educational opportunity in America, and will finally prioritize the needs of students over those of banks and special interests. The Senate HELP Committee will be marking up this legislation in the next few weeks.
