WASHINGTON, DC

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) applauded the passage of the Higher Education Reauthorization Act, H.R. 4137, on July 31 by a vote of 380-49 in the House and 83-8 in the Senate. The bill now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law.  

Both houses had passed versions of the bill and sent them to a conference to resolve differences. The conference was then approved in each house on Thursday. The act, which gives most federal college programs the authority to operate for five years, was last renewed in 1998.

 "Today, for the first time in 10 years, we reauthorized the Higher Education Act, with historic gains for Latinos families and (Hispanic Serving Institutions) across the country," said U.S, Representative Joe Baca, D-Calif.,  chair of the CHC. "We are opening the doors for more people to achieve success in their pursuit of higher education. Furthermore, with the authorization of $100 million for Graduate Programs in HSI's, we help elevate these institutions to new levels and raise their status in the higher education community."

The caucus said the act would bring “tremendous improvements to the Pell Grant and Federal Work-Study programs, simplify the financial aid process” and strengthen other programs.

"As a veteran, I would be remiss to not mention the monumental benefits for our men and women who have served in the armed forces,” Representative Baca said. “The establishment of veteran student scholarship programs and requiring the Department of Education to coordinate a website to provide direct information to military members and their families will help our service members achieve their higher education dreams."

U.S. Representative Ruben Hinojosa, D-Texas, chair of the CHC Education Task Force  and  of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education, said the bill put “smart strategies in place to make sure that more first-generation, minority students have an opportunity to pursue a college education."