Opening The Doors of Higher Education (Rep. Carolyn McCarthy)

Today, the House and Senate Conferees reached an agreement on the College Cost Reduction and Access Act.  This is a great day for students across the nation, and represents the largest single effort to assist students and parents pay for college since the GI Bill of 1944.

I am particularly glad to see loan forgiveness for public service workers, which includes public health workers, was included in the House and Senate reconciliation.  Public service workers provide a great service to this nation, and the federal government is doing the right thing by assisting them in their education.

This Reconciliation also includes a dramatic increase in Pell Grant funding, increasing the maximum grant to $5,400 by 2012.  Pell Grants open the doors of higher education to students from less fortunate families and communities, and assists them in achieving the American dream.  I am excited to see the House and Senate move so quickly on the reconciliation and hope the President will sign this legislation into law in a timely fashion.  The students of America deserve it.