Luke Swarthout, of the group U.S. PIRG, which lobbies for a range of student causes, said the textbook provisions are important for solving the problem of rising textbook prices.

Bruce Hildebrand, executive director for higher education for the Association of American Publishers, which represents several big textbook companies, said most publishers already are doing what the bill requires, but his group backed the changes in their final form.

Ultimately, though, both sides agree that new technologies like e-books will play a far bigger role in determining whether prices fall.

Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon of California, the senior Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee, said earlier this week the final agreement "recognizes the remarkable power of sunshine and transparency to empower consumers" and "holds schools accountable for driving up prices" while recognizing those that improve access.

Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chairman of the House panel, said in an interview that transparency will help students make better decisions.

He also praised one of the bill's most controversial provisions the final sticking point this week which allows states access to a small, new grant program only if they maintain their own spending on higher education. The states fought it strongly, arguing that Washington shouldn't tell them how to spend their money. But Miller said it established an important principle.

"We found it unacceptable that the federal government would continue to make more and more resources available ... and have the states walk away from their responsibilities," he said. "We put money on the top and they take it from the bottom."

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