Why Are We Cutting Federal Financial Aid for Education?

For a typical student that qualifies for federal financial aid, the added financing cost because of this new measure is estimated to be about $5,800.

Reduced federal funding for students is bound to have detrimental effects on access to higher education in America -especially for the students that come from families that are financially stretched. This cut is, sadly, targeted to those that are the least able to bear even the current cost of higher education in America.

By draining $15 billion dollars from federal financial aid for education over the next five years, we are not helping our children -we are actually making it very difficult for our next generation to pursue higher education.

Hundreds of college students had rallied on Capitol Hill recently in opposition to this bill that cuts nearly $15 billion from student aid programs. The students, who were primarily from several Washington-area colleges, said they were part of "...a nationwide effort to the stop the Republican Raid on Student Aid..." The students wore tee-shirts bearing a stop sign and the words Stop the Raid on Student Aid.

When we, as a nation, decide to raid student aid to the tune of $15 billion dollars, we really need to rethink our priorities.

For more information, visit Press Release by House Education Committee Member Representative George Miller and Representative Chris Van Hollen.