The Institute for Higher Education Policy Commends the Immense Show of Congressional Support for the College Transparency Act (H.R. 1766/S. 800)
Published Jul 10, 2020
WASHINGTON, DC (July 10, 2020) – Today, the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) recognizes a milestone in support for the College Transparency Act (CTA), with more than half of the members of the U.S. House of Representatives now co-sponsoring the bill, joining a third of the members of the U.S. Senate in showing their support for its passage. As of July 7, the bill, which would provide students with better data to inform their college choices, counts 225 co-sponsors of HR 1766 – including 79 Republicans and 146 Democrats. In the Senate, the 34 co-sponsors of S 800 include 18 Republicans and 16 Democrats. In response to this tremendous support for increasing transparency in the country’s postsecondary data system, IHEP Vice President of Policy Research, Mamie Voight, issued the following statement:
“Amidst the serious challenges our nation – including postsecondary institutions – is facing, this legislative milestone marks a win for today’s students. The College Transparency (CTA) – now supported by more than half of the members of the U.S. House of Representatives and a third of the members of the U.S. Senate – is a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would provide students and families the information they need to answer pressing questions about postsecondary outcomes before making one of the most pivotal decisions of their lives – where to go to college. By updating the current postsecondary data system to provide accurate, timely, and high-quality aggregate data on college access, success, costs, and outcomes in a user-friendly way, CTA also helps policymakers, institutions, and employers make informed decisions, while demanding strict protocols to protect individuals’ privacy and secure their data.
“The strong bipartisan support for CTA includes lawmakers from a wide ideological spectrum and broad representation from numerous key committees. CTA co-sponsors include: more than one-third of the Republicans and more than two-thirds of the Democrats on the House Education and Labor Committee, including the ranking Republican on the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee; more than two-thirds of the House Armed Services Committee; and more than three-fourths of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. The Problem Solver’s Caucus – a bipartisan group of 48 members of Congress comprised equally of Democrats and Republicans, who are “committed to forging bipartisan cooperation on key issues” – has also endorsed CTA, along with all three chairs of the Tri-Caucus – the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC).
“Given the broad community and legislative support and the urgent need for greater postsecondary transparency, the time is now for Congress to pass CTA. This data is more important than ever as the current health and economic crises lead an increasing number of students to pursue postsecondary education and as critical federal funds are being distributed to students in need.”
IHEP is part of a 176-member coalition of postsecondary stakeholders supporting CTA. This diverse group includes organizations representing students, veterans, colleges and universities, industry, and civil rights groups, all of whom signed a letter urging Congress to pass CTA.
