House Resolution 113 - Introduced HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 113 BY HALL , OLDSON , HEDDENS , ANDERSON , KEARNS , BEARINGER , BERRY , OURTH , STECKMAN , SMITH , ABDUL-SAMAD , GASKILL , COHOON , WESSEL-KROESCHELL , WINCKLER , STAED , HUNTER , MASCHER , and HANSON A Resolution urging Congress to enact legislation 1 to ensure that students from Iowa and throughout 2 the United States have access to debt-free higher 3 education at public colleges and universities. 4 WHEREAS, the economic competitiveness of the United 5 States and Iowa in the global economy requires a 6 well-educated workforce; and 7 WHEREAS, Iowa ranks 8th in the country in students 8 graduating with the highest debt, with the average 9 statewide debt load for Iowa’s public and private 10 college and university graduates at $29,732; derailing 11 promising futures and diminishing the economic benefit 12 of these graduates’ talents; and 13 WHEREAS, current and future young people in Iowa and 14 throughout the rest of the nation should have the same 15 opportunity offered to those who went to college in 16 previous generations, including the ability to attend 17 state colleges and universities without taking on 18 burdensome debt; and 19 WHEREAS, in 2016, higher education is more important 20 than ever because it is an essential step to entering 21 and remaining in the middle class; and 22 WHEREAS, because of the importance of higher 23 education to the nation’s economy, the United States 24 and its state governments should expand the opportunity 25 -1- LSB 5428HH (4) 86 kh/rj 1/ 3

H.R. 113 to pursue and attain higher education to more people 1 than had that opportunity in the past; and 2 WHEREAS, public investment in higher education pays 3 off, as evidenced by the facts that the post-World War 4 II G.I. Bill resulted in a 7-to-1 return on investment 5 for our national economy and that workers with college 6 degrees earn more money, pay more taxes, and rely less 7 on government services; and 8 WHEREAS, student loan debt saddles the very students 9 who most depend on a college degree to level the 10 economic playing field with a burden that constrains 11 career choices, hurts the credit rating of the 12 students, prevents people from fully participating 13 in the economy by purchasing goods and services, and 14 threatens essential milestones of the American dream 15 —— including the purchase of a home or car, starting a 16 family, and saving for retirement; and 17 WHEREAS, a national goal of establishing a 18 debt-free public higher education system would include 19 significant federal aid to states, including Iowa; NOW 20 THEREFORE, 21 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 22 That the Iowa House of Representatives urges Congress 23 to enact legislation affecting students attending 24 public institutions of higher education that does the 25 following: 26 1. Ensures that such students have access to 27 debt-free higher education, meaning students who 28 graduate can do so without debt. 29 2. Supports efforts to increase aid to the states 30 -2- LSB 5428HH (4) 86 kh/rj 2/ 3

H.R. 113 so that states can increase investments in higher 1 education and bring down education costs for students. 2 3. Increases financial aid to students to help 3 cover the total cost of college attendance. 4 4. Encourages innovation by states and institutions 5 of higher education to increase efficiency, lower 6 costs, and enable speedy and less-costly degree 7 completion. 8 5. Reduces the burden of existing student loan 9 debt; and 10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Chief Clerk of 11 the House of Representatives shall transmit certified 12 copies of this Resolution to each member of Iowa’s 13 congressional delegation. 14 -3- LSB 5428HH (4) 86 kh/rj 3/ 3