Last Updated on December 12, 2017 by cassnetwork
Washington, DC–Today, Congressman Todd Rokita will participate in the markup of the PROSPER Act to improve career readiness for Hoosiers by bettering higher education institutions.
“When our kids leave college they need to be ready for the career path they choose–but today, not all of our students are ready. This reform is going to help give students and parents the reassurance that their degrees are workforce relevant. It will also help students financially by focusing on simplifying the student aid process, focusing on consolidation and simplification of loans, and overall bringing down the cost of education.”
The PROSPER Act includes major changes to the Department of Education bureaucracy as a result of Rokita’s efforts. The PROSPER Act calls for a consolidation and elimination of duplicative programs and, as a result of Rokita’s efforts, this consolidation would also eliminate jobs from these programs. Rokita also wrote part of the legislation that would limit the power of the Secretary of Education because the power to influence education is better placed at the state and local level.
“The U.S. Department of Education has too much power and there’s too much bureaucracy–it is getting in the way of our kids and their futures,” said Rokita. “The PROSPER Act is about creating an environment that helps students prosper by eliminating harmful bureaucracy, simplifying the student aid application and approval process, encouraging educational innovation, and truly opening the door to make American students the best in the world. Through the PROSPER Act our students will be given more opportunity.”
The PROSPER Act also:
- Advocates for the First Amendment Rights of Students by reminding universities that they should be upholding students’ free speech rights
- Eliminates duplicative student aid programs
- Simplifies the burdensome FAFSA form and process
- Promotes financial counseling to help students make better financial decisions regarding their loans
- Enhances accountability and transparency
Watch the markup by clicking here.
For more information on the PROSPER Act, click here.
SOURCE: News release from U.S. Representative Todd Rokita