NJ Spotlight. By John Reitmeyer

Undertaking a major rewrite of the Higher Education Act is one way to address concerns about college affordability and student debt, according to a group of federal lawmakers that includes a congressman from South Jersey.

The group introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month that called for increasing student-tuition subsidies and boosting federal aid to states like New Jersey that fund free community-college programs, among other proposed policy changes.

New efforts would also be made to assist those who already have significant college debt, including by establishing more generous repayment terms for low- and middle-income borrowers. The legislation also calls for the expansion of a program that offers loan forgiveness to those who go into a public-service field after graduating college.

The introduction of  the “College Affordability Act” by a group of sponsors that includes U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-1st) comes as new alarms are being sounded about the impact of high  student debt on the economy. It is also aimed at making college more affordable as tuition bills continue to rise nationally.

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