News Center
Issues & Legislation BorderSubCommittee Subcommittee National Parks Constituent Services Visiting Washington DC About Mark Souder Indiana's Third District
Photo Album Audio/Video Contact
|
News CenterPress Releases
House Passes College Access and Opportunity ActH.E.A. Renewal Includes Souder Amendment, GEAR-UP ReauthorizationMarch 30, 2006 U.S. Rep. Mark Souder voted today for House passage of H.R. 609, the College Access and Opportunity Act, which would reauthorize the Higher Education Act. Souder offered an amendment, which was approved during consideration of the legislation on the floor, and he also spoke in favor of Section 404 of the bill, which would reauthorize the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEAR-UP). H.R. 609 passed the House by a bipartisan majority of 221-199. “I was concerned that a provision in the original bill represented unnecessary government intrusion into the academic policies of colleges and universities,” said Souder, a senior member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. “My amendment, which was passed by the House, will ensure transparency in the credit transfer process, while preserving the right of institutions of higher education to make decisions concerning their own academic integrity, and ensuring that students are placed in the courses best suited for them.” Souder’s amendment removed the provision in H.R. 609 that would have prohibited institutions of higher education from denying credits based on the accreditation of the sending institution. The amendment also strengthened the text of the legislation that would require institutions to disclose publicly their transfer of credit policies. “GEAR-UP provides many kids who thought they’d never have the chance to go to college with that opportunity,” Souder added. “With this program, the federal government essentially says to these students: ‘If you do your part, we’ll do our part to make college possible for you.’ I’ve been frustrated that the Bush administration has proposed this important program’s elimination in the upcoming fiscal year, just as they did in the past. But, in prior years, we in the House have managed to ensure that funds are appropriated for GEAR-UP. And it’s a victory that the program has been reauthorized in this bill.” GEAR-UP directs its support to individuals from low-income elementary and secondary schools. The goal of the program is to increase disadvantaged students’ high school completion and postsecondary enrollment by providing a variety of academic, counseling, and college preparatory services. In 1998, Souder helped create GEAR-UP, which is the federal partner for Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars program. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, just as in the previous year, President Bush recommended $0 for GEAR-UP in his budget proposal to Congress. For FY 2006, GEAR-UP was appropriated $303.4 million in funding. Through state partnerships such as Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars program, GEAR-UP serves more than 1.4 million students. H.R. 609 will now be sent to the Senate for further action.
###
|
