Tom Cole's Statement in Congressional Record: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support, for H.R. 3039, legislation introduced today by my colleagues and myself to expand opportunities in our great nation's higher education system. I
encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this important bill
and helping to increase access to postsecondary education.
      For nearly four decades, the Higher Education Act has provided
opportunities to students throughout the nation as they worked toward a
postsecondary education. Now, in the technologically-driven economy of
the 21st century, a college education is more important than ever.
That's why the bill I am offering is so important; it will help remove
barriers and ensure students have the opportunities they need to meet
their educational goals.
     The cost of college in America has risen rapidly over the past few
decades, and this has made achieving the dream of a college education a
difficult proposition for many students. However, though college costs
are a significant impediment for many aspiring college students, they
are but one of many unnecessary barriers to a college education in
America. Expanding opportunities for students by removing these
barriers will help increase access to college.
     By encouraging innovative solutions such as distance learning and the
use of advanced technology in the classroom, schools can provide non-
traditional college students with a better chance to succeed. I also
believe addressing the needs of America's minority serving institutions
must be a priority, because these valuable institutions play an
essential role in providing opportunities for many students.
      There are several areas of particular importance in this legislation.
Each of these provisions serves to break down barriers, remove
obstacles, increase flexibility, and ultimately expand opportunities
within higher education.
      This legislation allows for fair and equitable treatment of all
institutions, removing the arbitrary rules imposed on some and not
others and providing all institutions the ability to compete for
federal grants and better serve their students.
     An additional unnecessary barrier in current law that is restricting
opportunities for students and flexibility for schools is the so-called
50 percent rule. This rule arbitrarily restricts the number of courses
that can be offered and the number of students that can be enrolled in
courses offered via telecommunications. While this outdated rule was
implemented to provide safeguards, times have changed and technology
makes online education an important tool in achieving success for many
non-traditional students. This bill takes the important step of
repealing the 50 percent rule, while maintaining stringent requirements
for quality to ensure the integrity of distance education programs is
monitored and maintained.
      The Expanding Opportunities in Higher Education Act also seeks to
strengthen programs such as TRIO and GEAR UP which provide critical
student support services. By providing these programs with the
flexibility they need to meet the unique needs of the student
populations they serve, programs such as these will expand
opportunities and allow students to thrive.
      Though the legislation I am offering includes many more important
reforms, there is one more area of particular importance that I would
like to address. Minority Serving Institutions offer tremendous
educational opportunity, and I'm pleased that the Expanding
Opportunities in Higher Education Act would make important reforms to
allow these institutions the freedom they need to help their students
succeed in higher education.
      Like all institutions, Minority Serving Institutions must advance
their technological capabilities with the changing times and
advancement in technology. This bill would allow Historically Black
Colleges and Universities and Tribally Controlled Colleges and
Universities among others to use a portion of their funds to expand
Internet capabilities and other distance learning capabilities,
encouraging the use of advanced technology and expanding opportunities.
      The Expanding Opportunities in Higher Education Act builds upon the
significant reforms for Minority Serving Institutions made in the Ready
to Teach Act earlier this year. That legislation created a program to
establish Centers of Excellence at high quality Minority Serving
Institutions to strengthen and improve teacher training, expand
recruitment of minorities in the teaching profession, and provide
scholarships to help future teachers pay the cost of completing a
teacher training program.
    Taken together, these and the many reforms in the bill will help to
renew higher education and expand opportunities, helping millions of
students and the institutions which serve them. I'm pleased to speak in
strong support of this legislation, and encourage my colleagues to join
me.