COHEAO Highlights Importance of Perkins Loans in Advance of House HEA Reauthorization Markup
Written by Wes Huffman (whuffman@wpllc.net)
December 12, 2017
Written by Wes Huffman (whuffman@wpllc.net)
Today, the House Education and the Workforce Committee is marking up the Promoting Real Opportunity, Success and Prosperity through Education Reform (PROSPER) Act (H.R. 4508), the House Republicans plan to address the Higher Education Act.
In advance of the markup, COHEAO sent the attached comments to the Education and the Workforce Committee. In her letter, COHEAO President Maria Livolsi encouraged the Committee to work toward extending Perkins Loans and highlighted key aspects of the program, such as favorable terms for students and campus-based servicing. The letter also outlined COHEAO’s “Campus Flex” proposal for the Campus Based Aid Programs as a potential long term solution.
The House Education and the Workforce Committee is expected to approve the bill, which is a significant step, but there is still a very long way in the HEA reauthorization process. The Committee plans to markup the legislation into tomorrow, but it is not expected to reach the House Floor for some time. Additionally, the Senate is only beginning talks to produce a bipartisan bill. Therefore, the extension of Perkins Loans is related to, but not intertwined with, HEA reauthorization.
