House Democrats Introduce Legislation that Benefits Graduate Education

WIH

Earlier this week, House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Ranking Member Frederica Wilson (D-FL) reintroduced the Lowering Obstacles to Achievement Now (LOAN) Act. If passed, the bill would provide significant investments to graduate education.

The legislation would:

Extend Pell Grant eligibility from the current 12 semesters back to 18 semesters as it existed before 2011 eligibility cuts related to a Pell Grant funding shortfall.
Allow students completing a graduate or professional degree to use any remaining Pell eligibility from their undergraduate studies.
Provides graduate and professional students attending public and non-profit institutions with access to subsidized loans at the same interest rate available to these students for unsubsidized loans.
Repeal origination fees for Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, as well as Direct PLUS Loans.
Extends Title IV eligibility to DREAMers.

In a CGS press release, President Suzanne T. Ortega applauded the reintroduction of this legislation and said that the “legislation highlights a commitment to making graduate education accessible to all by expanding the Pell Grant program and reforming student loans.”