Pubdate: Mon, 18 Jul 2005
Source: Journal Gazette, The (IN)
Copyright: 2005 The Journal Gazette
Contact:  http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/908
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hea.htm (Higher Education Act)

CHANGING SOUDER'S LAW

Congressman Mark Souder's long-simmering attempts to undo part of the 
damage he caused with a poorly written 1998 law denying federal student aid 
to college students with drug-related convictions gets another chance to 
advance this week. It is time for Congress to change this Draconian law 
that hinders the chances of young adults previously involved with drugs 
from obtaining the education that would help them become more productive.

Language that would apply the restrictions only to students convicted while 
they are receiving aid was included in a student aid bill heard last week 
in a House subcommittee and scheduled to go before the House Education 
Committee this week. Souder has long said his original intent was for the 
bill to apply only to those students and that the Department of Education 
wrongly applied it to students convicted before seeking financial aid.

Souder's attempts to change the law have cleared the House before, only to 
be stopped when the Senate failed to approve the more expansive bills in 
which the language was included. A college education remains one of the 
most vital tools for success, and tuition assistance should not be denied 
to otherwise qualified low-income students with previous drug convictions.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom