Ohio Valley Politics

Congressmen Charlie Wilson and Zack Space both supported the recently passed College Opportunity and Affordability Act (H.R. 4137). The act, like it’s name implies, hopes to keep the cost of college education low.

Wilson’s office provided a great list of some things that this act will accomplish.

• Streamline the federal student financial aid application process;
• Make textbook costs more manageable for students by, among other things, helping them plan for textbook expenses in advance of each semester;
• Allow students to receive year-round Pell Grant scholarships;
• Strengthen college readiness and support programs for minority and low-income students;
• Increase college aid and support programs for veterans and military families;
• Improve safety on college campuses and help schools recover and rebuild after a disaster;
• Ensure equal college opportunities and fair learning environments for students with disabilities; and
• Strengthen our nation’s workforce and economic competitiveness by boosting science, technology, and foreign language educational opportunities.

For Zack Space the bills passage was a little bit more personal, his CURE (Colleges and Universities Rural Education) Act was incorporated into the bill. In a release from his office he made these remarks:

“The colleges and universities in my district provide a great service to our rural students. We must do everything possible to support their efforts to educate our children.

“This legislation will allow colleges that serve rural populations to form partnerships to help usher more students into college and assist them with that transition.  It will also allow these colleges to develop training and employment programs that will provide desperately needed skilled workers.  If our communities are going to take the next step toward economic recovery, we must have the educational opportunities in place to make that transition a reality.”

– Rep. Zack Space

According to Space’s office, the CURE Act provides federal grants to the following:

• Partnerships formed between colleges serving rural areas and rural high schools to promote access to higher education amongst graduates of those schools.  The grants can be used to promote access to the campuses and assistance with financial aid/admissions forms.
• Partnerships formed between colleges serving rural areas and regional employers to form employment pipelines for students in college.  Preference would be given to partnerships designed to help fill needed professions in the community.
• Colleges serving rural areas for the purpose of developing training programs in needed professions.