From: Dr. Arnold Mitchem
Subject: URGENT ALERT-- 7/22/05
Last night in the mark-up of the Higher Education Act in the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), a former TRIO director, offered an amendment that would require the Department of Education to impose a system of performance measures on the TRIO programs. The amendment passed on a party line vote. Neither the Council staff nor many Members of the Committee had seen the language offered prior to last night's action.
This language is unworkable for a number of reasons and would seriously undermine the TRIO programs. Most critically, it would favor some states and regions over others; significantly increases the regulatory and reporting burden on colleges and universities; and requires a major expansion of the federal bureaucracy.
We are presently working with our supporters in the House to determine the most appropriate strategy for reversing this action and will communicate further about the strategy early next week.
M