Dive Brief:
- Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) has introduced legislation to cut the length of the federal student aid application, consolidate federal grant and loan programs, and restore year-round Pell Grants.
- Alexander was also formally elected as chairman of the U.S. Senate’s education committee.
- The senator is also supporting a legislative proposal to streamline federal loan repayments and limit loan forgiveness for borrowers with high levels of debt, Inside Higher Ed reported.
Dive Insight:
Alexander has been talking for several months about what his No. 1 priority for higher ed will be as education committee chairman: simplifying federal student aid. He says the education committee will get to work on his simplification proposal after finishing up work on reauthorizing federal law on elementary and secondary schools. The federal aid bill should go to the full Senate by the end of spring, according to Inside Higher Ed.