The Senate and House have passed a one-month extension of the Higher Education Act, signaling that Congress is unlikely to complete HEA reauthorization before it recesses on March 14. The current HEA extension expires on March 31.
The brief, one-month extension suggests that lawmakers intend to complete HEA reauthorization in April.
The Senate and House have passed separate versions of the legislation that sets financial aid and higher education policies, and are currently working to negotiate the differences between the two versions of the bill. Reports indicate that a provision in the House version of the bill that would penalize states for reducing their commitment to higher education is a major sticking point for Senate negotiators.
"It has been nearly 10 years since the Higher Education Act was last reauthorized, and I believe that Members on both sides of the aisle and in both Chambers are eager to complete the work on a compromise bill this Congress," said Rep. George Miller (D-CA) chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee.
Miller also suggested that his committee would work on additional financial aid legislation after HEA reauthorization is completed.
"While [the] process of reauthorizing the Higher Education Act may be coming to a close, I would like to underscore that it does not mean that we will complete work on higher education altogether," Miller said. "The Education and Labor Committee will continue our efforts to ensure our higher education programs operate in the best interests of students and families, which include overseeing the proper implementation of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act and other provisions of the Higher Education Act. We will also examine how we can best ensure the availability of Federal student loans in the midst of volatility in our Nation's credit markets."
NASFAA is closely monitoring HEA reauthorization developments and has set up a HEA Implementation Resources Web Center to provide all HEA-related material in one location.
Additional Resources
By Haley Chitty
NASFAA Assistant Director of Communications
Posted 03/13/08 to www.NASFAA.org. Redistribution to non-NASFAA institutions is prohibited. Please submit Web Site questions or comments to Web@NASFAA.org.
