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On July 24, the US Senate unanimously passed its version of Higher Education Act (HEA). The bill (S. 1642) has much for the University of Minnesota and all of higher education to celebrate.

The Senate bill includes some major modifications in programs important to the University, including authorizing the maximum Pell Grant, the primary federal financial aid program for low- to moderate-income undergraduates. S. 1642 proposes an increase from $4,310 for the 2007-08 school year to $6,300 in 2011-12. Minnesota Senators Norm Coleman and Amy Klobuchar both voted for the Higher Education Act, helping to ensure its passage in the Senate.

Among many other provisions, the Senate bill would also:

• Create year-round Pell grants
• Streamline the application process for requesting federal student aid
• Increase restrictions on the relationships between lenders, guarantee agencies, and higher education institutions
• Create a federal student loan clearinghouse

It is now up to the House to take up HEA reauthorization, which is expected sometime this fall.

Please e-mail Senators Coleman and Klobuchar to thank them for their support of higher education and this important piece of legislation. Write your own letter, or edit the one below with your personal experiences. Be sure to include your own Pell Grant stories.

For more information, visit the University's Federal Relations web site.

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