Doggett: Preventing the Raid on Student Aid

A few weeks ago, during his State of the Union address to Congress, President Obama focused on the future, arguing that each of us deserves the chance to shape our own destiny. He drew inspiration from Robert Kennedy, who said, "The future is not a gift. It is an achievement." And in a powerful call-to-arms, the President challenged us all: "The future is ours to win.  But to get there, we can't just stand still… sustaining the American Dream has never been about standing pat.  It has required each generation to sacrifice, and struggle, and meet the demands of a new age." But with recent news that the Texas budget plan would cut $1.7 billion from higher education, the motto as recast by some state legislators is beginning to sound a lot more like "the future is yours if you're lucky enough to afford it."

Balancing a Mismanaged State Budget on the Backs of Students— The Texas Tribune recently put these devastating cuts into numbers that should alarm: Out of the $1.25 that Texas cut out of its current budget, more than $500 million was drained from higher education. That's more than 40% of all cuts made, while higher education's overall share of the state budget is only 12.5 percent.  That's a formula for balancing the budget on the back of Texas students. This doesn't add up when you consider that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board estimates that for every dollar invested in public higher education, the state gets an eightfold return.

Cutting the amount of students who would be eligible for student financial aid by almost half, closing community colleges that are the spring-boards to a more prosperous future for so many, eliminating the funds that Texas devotes to training Teach for America recruits, and cutting State support of our Universities is not only the wrong answer—is it a dangerous one.  It is the wrong way to put us on a path to greater economic security.  

Unfortunately, Congressional Republicans aren't offering better answers either. Almost immediately after taking control of the House of Representatives, Republican leaders began backing off their pledge to maintain support for Pell Grants. These grants are crucial in enabling millions of students in Texas and across the Country to obtain a college degree without being saddled with years-long, overly burdensome debt.

Investing in Our Students is an Investment in the Future—Strategic investments in education are one of the best ways to help ensure that we one day see words like "Made in America" again.  As college costs rise, access to student aid becomes even more critical to a student's ability to pursue higher education.

Though much work remains to be done to increase accessibility and affordability of higher education in our community, we have made great strides in the right direction over the last two years.  With my support, Congress significantly simplified the nation's student loan system and made the single largest investment in college aid in American history. This means tens of millions of dollars more in Pell Grants for Central Texas students and $60 million more over the next five years for Texas to ensure all students have the tools they need to complete their college education.

During the State of the Union, President Obama also called on Congress to make permanent my "More Education" tax cut that I authored to provide a $14 billion credit to help those seeking higher education.  What does this tax cut mean for you?  Tuition for a two-year degree at Austin Community College costs $3,480 over two years for a full-time student.  The "More Education" tax cut, also known as the American Opportunity Tax Credit, makes the entire cost of that ACC education tax free.  My hope is that the President and Congress can work together to make this cut permanent and good for $10,000 for 4 years of education.

Investing in Helping More Students "Get There"— ACC began in 1973 as a single-campus offering 30 career and transfer programs. I remember delivering an early commencement address to graduates in 1977.  Today, ACC is an eight-campus college with an enrollment of more than 44,000 students—and it is still growing to help even more students "get there," as ACC's motto promises.  This kind of growth warrants strategy, vision, and a plan for the future—and not just for ACC, but for all higher education in Texas—from top-tier research universities to community colleges and technical schools. Without federal and state investment, we will never be able to strengthen our commitment to higher education, to Texas' students, and to our future competitiveness.