Issue Position: Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act

Issue Position

It is high time we recognize that obtaining an education is not synonymous with receiving a traditional degree. That is why I introduced the Higher Education Reform and Opportunity (HERO) Act.

While the costs of higher education have continued to accelerate and the amount of student loan debt has skyrocketed, many college graduates are now ending up in jobs that do not even require a college degree. The acquisition of advanced knowledge and skills is more important than ever for economic opportunity, and many students would benefit from alternatives to traditional brick-and-ivy institutions, such as training programs, vocational schools and apprenticeships. By authorizing states to experiment with different approaches to accreditation, the HERO Act will allow our nation's students to pursue the skills and education that they need to succeed in their chosen fields. Accredited programs would be eligible to receive federal student loan money. This will allow students to equip themselves with advanced skills at a much lower cost. Furthermore, the availability of more education options will exert a downward pressure on tuition at traditional colleges, which will provide relief to many hard-working families.

Sen. Mike Lee (UT) has introduced the HERO Act in the Senate. Click here to read the op-ed that we authored together for National Review discussing how the HERO Act will break up the higher education cartel. We will continue to advocate for this innovative method of opening up our nation's higher education system to more Americans.

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