For the thirteenth time since it was last passed in 1998, the Higher Education Act (HEA) will be extended once again. On Monday the Senate passed legislation that would extend the HEA through July 31. Currently the HEA is set to expire on June 30. Many expected another extension as one of the bill's principal authors and lead negotiators - Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) - was unexpectedly diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor late last month. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) has taken over negotiations for Kennedy in his absence.

"We're making very good headway with issues here within the Senate, and... every day we iron out a wrinkle," Mikulski told Congress Daily last week.

House and Senate staffers have been working out differences between the House and Senate HEA reauthorization bills since February, when the House passed its version H.R. 4137. The Senate passed S. 1642 - its own HEA reauthorization bill - nearly a year ago. The biggest battles, reports Congress Daily, are over provisions aimed at reducing textbook costs and provisions that would financially penalize states that reduce their contributions to higher education.

Lawmakers are predicting final passage of the HEA reauthorization bill upon returning from the July 4th holiday. More information on the HEA reauthorization bills can be found on NASFAA's HEA Implementation Resources Web page.

By Justin Draeger
NASFAA Associate Director of Communications

Posted 06/25/08 to www.NASFAA.org. Redistribution to non-NASFAA institutions is prohibited. Please submit Web Site questions or comments to Web@NASFAA.org.