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House Committee Votes to Gut Protections for Students and Taxpayers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 24, 2015

Contact: Sarah Lovenheim, sarah.lovenheim@younginvincibles.org

(Washington) — Today, the House Appropriations Committee approved a bill that dismantles an important consumer protection for students who attend career colleges, fails to address unscrupulous recruitment practices towards our nation’s veterans, and cuts investments in student financial assistance.

Rory O’Sullivan, deputy director at Young Invincibles and lead student advocate at the Department of Education’s 2013 negotiated rulemaking on gainful employment, issued the following statement:

“On the heels of a court decision that upheld the legality of the gainful employment regulation, we are disappointed to see the House Appropriations Committee vote to gut this important rule. The gainful employment regulation protects both students and taxpayers from fraud and abuse within our higher education system.

“Removing GE right before it has a chance to take effect will expose students to bad actors and continue to waste critical student aid dollars. The 90/10 loophole that lawmakers voted against was created to prevent shoddy programs from profiting off the backs of student veterans, while saddling them with loan debt and worthless degrees. With millions of Millennials suffering the consequences of the Great Recession, now is not the time for Congress to turn its back on students.”

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