Democratic Lawmakers Look To Make College More Affordable

It could be a new day when it comes to the price of the college education landscape.

According to The Grio, Democratic lawmakers are pushing a “higher education package in the U.S. House of Representatives that would significantly increase need-based grants and expand funding to make college more affordable for students and families without having to make on a large load of debt.”

The goal, U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va told The Grio, is to have everyone have access to a college diploma because it is the most direct route to being a part of the middle class.

“Most people can’t afford tuition or room and board,” Scott said. “Tuition is around $50,000 a year and without significant assistance, they won’t be able to attend.”

According to the U.S. News data based on an annual survey, the average college tuition has increased in the 2023-2024 academic year in comparison to the prior year for both public and private schools.

In January, committee members launched the “Roadmap to College Student Success,” which comprises seven bills that aim to lower the price of education, grant students resources to access college and provide help to graduates.

The committee also looks to pass the “Lowering Obstacles to Achievement Now Act,” which would double Pell Grant awards and ensure loans are even more affordable and accessible.

“We’ve long touted a college degree as a ticket to the American Dream. Today, that dream is further out of reach due to crippling student debt,” U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-FI, and subcommittee ranking member said in a statement. The initiative would “Ensure that this generation is the last to experience America’s student loan debt crisis.”

For this initiative to work, House members want to pass the “College Transparency Act,” which would make colleges provide students and their families with information that shows student performance amid enrollment, and if students could find jobs following graduation. The move would assist student decide how to invest in their education thanks to being educated on job placement rates for each major, Scott said.

“Unfortunately, the current lack of student-level data from institutions of higher education hampers the decision-making ability of students and families when choosing a college,” U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore, previously said in a statement.