At New Hampshire College and University Council Higher Education Summit, Senator Hassan Outlines Higher Education Priorities for Year Ahead

CONCORD – Senator Maggie Hassan today spoke at the 2^nd Annual New Hampshire College and University Council Higher Education Summit, where she outlined her priorities for comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP) - on which the Senator serves – is working on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act this year.

“Students pursuing higher education are not only building a better future for themselves, they are also helping strengthen our businesses and our economy,” Senator Hassan said. “We owe it to them to help make their higher education more affordable.”

“That’s why I am focused on expanding the value and reach of Pell Grants, which are an important resource for students across our state,” Senator Hassan continued. “I have also looked for ways to expand the reach of Pell Grants, through efforts like the JOBS Act – a bipartisan bill I reintroduced with a number of my colleagues this week to help close the skills gap by expanding Pell Grant eligibility to cover high-quality and rigorous short-term job training programs that help ensure that we meet more students where they are, and help them achieve a higher rung on the career ladder.”

Senator Hassan highlighted the need to make college more accessible to all students in order to expand economic opportunity and to ensure that innovative businesses have the strong workforce they need to thrive. As part of those efforts, Senator Hassan introduced the Gateway to Careers Act, which supports career pathways strategies that combine work, education, and support services to help individuals earn industry-recognized credentials and help ensure that innovative businesses have the workforce they need to thrive.

“The number one thing I hear from innovative businesses across New Hampshire is the need for more highly skilled workers, but we know that too many people do not have the skills and supports that they need to enter – and remain – in the workforce,” Senator Hassan said.

The Senator also emphasized the importance of strengthening accountability to help ensure that students making massive financial commitments for higher education have a better understanding about how the education they’ll receive will give them the tools they need for future success. This week, Senator Hassan joined in reintroducing the bipartisan legislation to bolster transparency for students and families. For more information on the College Transparency Act, click here.

“This week I joined colleagues in reintroducing the bipartisan College Transparency Act, which would improve access to accurate, transparent, and comprehensive information about student outcomes at higher education institutions,” Senator Hassan said. “It would help students make smart choices about where they invest their higher education dollars so that they can get the most value for their money.” 

###