Member Advisory/Action Alert--August 18, 2006

Member action urgent on HEA and Title V provisions

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) urges all leaders of HACU-member institutions and all friends of Hispanic higher education to immediately call upon their members of Congress, both House and Senate, to address three major issues affecting Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Hispanic higher education.  Senators and Representatives will be on Congressional recess in their districts until Labor Day, September 4, 2006.

First, the 1965 Higher Education Act (HEA) reauthorization was expected in the 108^th Congress, but there is a distinct possibility that it may not be completed during the current 109^th Congressional session either.  The bill under consideration, HR 609 (S 1614) The College Access and Opportunity Act, contains three provisions important to HSIs:

1)     the creation of a new HSI grant program for graduate education,

2)     the elimination of the two year wait out period, and

3)     the elimination of the low-income provision. 

These key changes will be delayed at least another year if the HEA reauthorization bill is not passed before the end of the 109^th Congress.

The House reauthorization bill has already passed in the House, but the Senate version awaits full Senate action before the House/Senate Conference Committee can reconcile differences and present a negotiated version to both Chambers for a final vote. HACU calls upon its membership, especially the president and other key officials of member institutions, to contact their Representatives and Senators to request Senator Enzi, Chair, and Senator Kennedy, Ranking Member of the Health-Education-Labor and Pensions Committee, and Representatives McKeon, Chair, and Representative Miller, Ranking Member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, to complete work on the HEA bill so that the final bill can be sent to the President for signing into law before Congress adjourns in December of 2006.  It is especially urgent that we ask the Senate to move the bill to discussion and vote by the full Senate so that the conference can take place.

Second, currently over 100 HSIs are in the 2 year wait out period before they can submit another individual Title V proposal.  Because of the possibility that HEA may not be reauthorized this session, please ask your U.S. Senators and Representatives to support our efforts to attach language to the FY 2007 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations to eliminate the 2 year wait out period this year.

Third, for FY 2007, HACU is again seeking increased funding under Title V, the chief vehicle for targeting federal grants to HSIs. Both House and Senate appropriations committees are currently recommending a decrease in funding from $95.8 million for FY 2006 to $94.9 million for FY 2007.  Unless we reverse this in the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill for FY 2007, HSIs will experience the first decrease in funding since Title V was established by Congress. Given the increasing number of HSIs each year and the increasing costs for HSI program development and administration, HACU is asking at least $100 million for FY 2007.  Please urge your Senators and Representatives to request that the appropriations committees for Labor-HHS-Education in both House and Senate increase FY 2007 funding for Title V to $100 million.

Visit http://www.hacu.net/hacu/HEA_06_Sample_Ltr_EN.asp?SnID=436487584 to find a sample letter for your use in contacting your Senators and Representatives. In addition to sending a letter (PLEASE FAX ONLY), you may want to call your representatives directly or visit their district offices. 

Please send a copy of your communications to Richard Lopez, Executive Director of Legislative Affairs (rlopez@hacu.net), or Gumecindo Salas, Vice President for Government Relations (gsalas@hacu.net), or fax them at (202) 261-5082. You may contact either of them at (202) 833-8361 with any questions or for assistance. Visit www.hacu.net for continuing updates on the progress of this legislation now before Congress.

HACU Member Advisories are a service of the

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.