Select Examples of Advocacy Efforts

Developed and distributed position papers on the organization’s advocacy priorities during the NCHER Legislative Fly-In and the NCHER Legislative Conference.
Held an NCHER Legislative Fly-In in July 2018 where NCHER members met with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Republican and Democratic staff, Senate Appropriations Committee Republican staff, and House Education and the Workforce Committee Republican and Democratic staff and held a Congressional staff briefing on state and nonprofit organizations’ ideas for reauthorizing the Higher Education Act.
Held the NCHER Legislative Conference in February 2019 where the organization was able to meet with staff from the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, House Education and Labor Committee , House Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Communications Commission, the White House Domestic Policy Council, and the White House Office of Management and Budget.
Letter to the U.S. Department of Education providing public comments on the proposed rule on borrower defense to repayment.
Letter to the Federal Communications Commission providing public comments on the request for information on the definition of an autodialer and other provisions interpreted under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act as a result of ACA International v. FCC.
Letter to the Federal Communications Commission providing public comments on the request for comment on the Marks decision.
Letter to the Federal Communications Commission expressing concern over the declaratory ruling on advanced methods to target and eliminate unlawful robocalls.
Letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau providing comment to the Request for Information on the consumer complaint process.
Letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau providing comment to the Request for Information on consumer financial education.
Letter to the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee in support of language promoting small business contracting opportunities.
Letter to the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee in support of extending the authority for Account Maintenance Fees past September 30, 2019.
Letter to the House Education and the Workforce Committee in support of H.R. 1635, the “Empowering Students Through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act,” which would promote financial literacy through enhanced counseling for recipients of federal financial aid.
Letter to Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) and Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) expressing support for S. 234 / H.R. 811, the “Transparency in Student Lending Act,” which aims to improve the information provided to students and parents by requiring the disclosure of the annual percentage rate or APR so that federal student loan borrowers understand the true cost of a loan and can make better financial decisions.
Letter to Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and John Thune (R-SD) and Reps. Scott Peters (R-CA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL) expressing support for S. 460 / H.R. 1043, the Employer Participation in Repayment Act, which would expand the current Employer Education Assistance Program, which is limited to assisting employees that want to further their education, to allow employers to contribute up to $5,250 tax‐free to their employees to help them repay their student loans.
Letter to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) expressing support of S. 887, the “Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act, which would require colleges and universities to provide borrowers with counseling each year in which they receive a new federal loan; and require such counseling to include estimates of the borrower’s monthly payment amount compared to their estimated monthly income, a statement that the borrower does not have to take out the maximum amount of federal student loans, options for reducing overborrowing, and a process whereby the borrower will manually enter the amount that he or she intends to borrow.
Letter to Reps. Alma Adams (D-NC) and Mark Walker (R-NC) and Sens. Doug Jones (D-AL) and Tim Scott (R-SC) expressing opposition to the elimination of Account Maintenance Fees included in H.R. 2486 / S. 1279, the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education or FUTURE Act.
Letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee expressing opposition to the Eshoo amendment, which was slated to be offered to H.R. 3375, the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, to repeal the provision included in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 that allows the federal government and its contractors to use advanced, efficient calling technology to call or text cell phones solely to collect debt owed to or guaranteed by the United States.

ADVOCACY & FEDERAL POLICY

What Are We Advocating For?

We are in continuous contact with members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, the White House, the U.S. Department of Education, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, think tanks, thought leaders, institutions of higher education and others, fiercely advocating for policy that is ultimately in the best interest of students and their families.

NCHER plays a leading role in envisioning and creating a postsecondary education policy environment that serves the best interests of students today and in the future. NCHER stands ready to assist federal policymakers as they determine what initiatives should be adopted through the budget and appropriations processes, the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, or through any legislative vehicle to improve college access and success.