Campus Progress Advocacy Senior Associate Pedro de la Torre III, released the following statement today in response to the passage of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (H.R. 3221) today in the House: 

“Campus Progress applauds the passage of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act. This bill, the largest federal investment in higher education in our history, provides critical and carefully-targeted aid to young people. By prioritizing the needs of students over wasteful subsidies for loan companies, the bill will enable millions to pursue higher education.

Our current system is leaving too many talented young people behind. By strengthening the Pell grant and investing in community colleges and minority serving institutions, this legislation ensures that more young people will have the opportunity to attend college, gain skills that will boost our economy, and ease their own debt burdens.

Campus Progress would like to thank Chairman Miller for introducing this legislation, as well as our representatives who chose to take a stand against special interests in order to expand educational opportunity.”

Campus Progress has launched the campaign Students Over Banks to educate young people about proposed reforms to the student aid system, and help them make their voices heard. In addition to providing young people information about the proposals, the website offers profiles of some of the worst actors in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), ways to take action online, and the latest news on college affordability issues. The campaign also features a video PSA which will be shown online and in select television markets.