Fitzpatrick: Legislation Provides Higher Education Flexibility

U.S. Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-8th) joined a bipartisan majority in the House to pass H.R. 2117, The Protecting Academic Freedom in Higher Education Act. The Congressman represents Bucks County.

Here are his comments:

"Over the course of the last decade, we have seen the cost of higher education skyrocket, with the rise in tuitions and fees at public four-year colleges and universities outpacing inflation by 5 percent. The rising cost of higher education will not be solved through more federal mandates and programs, but by returning flexibility to academic institutions and preventing federal overreach."

"Today's legislation will help streamline the federal role in higher education and protect states, schools and students from excessive and costly federal regulations."

“H.R. 2117 repeals the federal definition of a ‘credit hour.’  This regulation restricts the ability of individual colleges and universities to create curriculums which may allow students to more frequently graduate on time, or even early, saving students money.”

“This legislation also eliminates the one-size-fits-all federal requirements states are forced to follow when determining whether or not to grant a college or university authority to operate within a state or commonwealth.”

You can find more information on this legislation here.