Bush Opposes Amendments to Higher Education Act

President George W. Bush has expressed strong opposition to a bill floating through Congress entitled the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007 (HR 4137), citing concerns with various aspects of the changes being proposed to the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended in 1998. In the process, President Bush has possibly managed to anger the African American and Hispanic communities with his statement, which indicates a veto is in the works if the bill is approved by Congress in its current form.

"...the Administration is concerned that many of the bill's new Federal programs would prioritize or restrict eligibility to institutions or groups defined by racial or ethnic criteria," and goes on to express that these provisions are probably in contradiction to the Constitutional provision for Equal Access under the 14^th Amendment.

The original Higher Education Act was established during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson, with the simple goal of strengthening continuing educational opportunities throughout the United States, contained exactly two (2) pages. HR 4137, on the other hand, is a massive document of 792 pages, and contains special earmarks for everything from specific grants to a college for the deaf, to special grants only available to Black and Hispanic Americans.

The bill specifically grants Predominantly Black higher educational institutions (those with a Black enrollment of at least 40%) greater access to Pell grant funds, at a rate 50% higher than that available to more integrated schools. The bill also gives Historically Black Colleges and Universities access to special grants of up to $500,000 to strengthen their programs and outreach, and a portion of the funds can be used for land acquisition and buildings.

The other provision that falls under this objection would be an amendment to Title V, which would provide grants for postbaccalaureate education - but only to Hispanic students.

Both of these provisions would seem to be in direct violation of the 1998 amendments to the Higher Education Act as well. In that law Congress stated, and President Bill Clinton concurred, "...that no student attending an institution of higher education on a full or part-time basis should, on the basis of participation in protected speech or protected association, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination or official sanction under any education program, activity, or division of the institution..."

President Bush also objected to four specific provisions of the bill which would create duplicate centers and certification processes which already exist.

President Bush also cited provisions in the bill that would seek to set caps on tuition prices being set at colleges and universities which receive federal funds. The bill would punish institutions with high tuition rates by withholding funds from those institutions.