Show Landmark Student Bill Finally Becomes Law Student Aid Levels Levels- And Interest On Loans- Loans Are Raised Unprecedented Lobbying Beats Millionaire Fathers' Fathers Misinformation by Helen Cordes WASHINGTON DC D.C. CPS CPS After After an unprecedented unprecedented I dented lobbying effort some cosmetic saving face-saving and a power struggle between two legislative committees Congress Congress Con Con- I gress has finally passed what one lobbyist called the most important student student stu stu- dent bill of the year The j Higher Education Reauthorization Reauthorization Act effectively funds fund most federal college programs programs pro pro- programs grams including student financial financial fi aid for the next five years The act among other I things Gradually increases the maximum Basic Educational Opportunity Grant from 1800 to 2600 by 1985 Increases maximum funding funding funding fund fund- ing for Supplemental Educational Educational Educational Edu Edu- Opportunity Grants from 1500 per student student student stu stu- dent to 2000 per student Requires that students receiving receiving receiving re re- Work College-Work Study monies get the minimum wage Requires that students are represented on state college planning commissions Establishes a single application application application cation form for all federal aid programs Raises the interest rates on National Direct Student Loans from three to four percent The interest increase increase increase in in- crease was the maj major or concession concession concession conces conces- sion made by higher education education education tion groups in the intense politicking politicking politicking po po- that produced the though there were others The higher interest rate will be a problem for students students students stu stu- dents says Joel Packer of the National Association of State Universities and Land- Land Grant Colleges But most of the other cuts are paper paper cuts They lowered the amount of maximum funding funding funding fund fund- ing of programs but most are still higher than what they get anyway But most higher education lobbyists consider themselves themselves themselves them them- selves lucky to have gotton anything The legislation which will ultimately ly affect about five million students was originally introduced last year In early 1980 the House passed a 60 billion version while while the the Senate passed a 30 billion version Over the summer a House- House Senate conference committee commit commit- tee concocted a 49 billion compromise that the House quickly passed In early September September September Sep Sep- however the Senate sent shock waves through the higher education community community community com com- by rejecting the bill It was the first out-and- out out defeat in tons of years recalls Larry of the American Council on Ed Ed- It came as a real shock The higher education honeymoon honeymoon honeymoon hon hon- is definitely over another official sadly re re- marked observing that congressional congressional congressional con con- gressional sentiment toward cutting back on social programs programs programs pro pro- grams had apparently reached reach reach- ed education Indeed Sen Ernest Hollings Hollings Hol- Hol lings SC D-SC voted against the compromise bill because it helped students with millionaire millionaire millionaire mil fathers who take out student loans as an invest invest- ment Hollings added I used to think education was wasa a good investment Not any any- more Some senators weren't that informed says Steve Leifman a student lobbyist Coalition of Independent Independent Independent In In- dependent College University University University Uni Uni- Students To inform inform inform in form them Leifman and others mounted an impressive impressive impressive sive lobbying effort which aimed at bringing the billup bill billup billup up for a vote again For example Leifman and some Virginia student leaders leaders leaders lead lead- ers showed bill opponent Sen J John ohn Warner R- R Va R-Va V a figures figures figures fig fig- ures showing that his states state's student loan program had actually made money for Vir Vir- ginia Write that down Warner reportedly barked to toan toan toan an aide Warner ultimately voted for the version approved approved approved ap ap- proved by the Senate last week Other tactics included sending a lobbyists lobbyist's spouse to argue with Sen Russell Long La D-La and waving protest protest protest pro pro- test banners at an American University speech by Sen Howard Baker Tn R-Tn Baker Bak Bak- er departed from the text of the speech to announce he was changing his vote on the issue to yes Al AI Cummings a for Sen Richard Stone D Fl says we were really surprised surprised surprised sur sur- by the student lob lob- Eduardo of the US U.S. Student Association says his group mobilized more support than weve we've ever got around the bill Yet for all the shouting the change in votes was a symbolic thing lobbyist Packer says There was a power struggle struggle struggle gle between the education committee and the budget committee he explains The budget committee proved its demand for budget budget budget bud bud- get cuts was met though in actuality they hadn't done that much Cutting Once the budget committee was satisfied people felt it was okay to vote for the bill Hollings the budget committee committee committee com com- chairman and a leading leading leading lead lead- ing opponent of the original compromise bill in early September September September Sep Sep- was the key Many senators were waiting to see what Hollings would do says Patricia Fleming assistant assistant assistant ass ass- secretary for legislation legislation legislation legisla legisla- tion at Dept of Education When we learned Hollings Hollings Hollings Hol Hol- lings changed his vote to approval she adds we knew the bill had a good chance of going through Few senators would admit it was an internal power struggle that nearly gutted federal higher education pro pro- grams Florida Senator Stone said he switched his vote from no to yes because on the second vote we had hada a very good higher education bill that also showed some fiscal restraint The second bill is worth an estimated 49 billion to students students students stu stu- dents and colleges The first bill was worth between 46 billion and 48 billion according according according accor accor- ding to COPUS' COPUS Leifman But the defeat of the first bill and the harried passage of the second has shaken the Washington higher education education education tion community which is used to kinder treatment in Congress Its created a lot lotof lotof lotof of uncertainty Parker re re- |