DeLauro Calls on Congress to Pass President Obama’s America’s College Promise Proposal

NEW HAVEN, CT—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) today joined administrators from Gateway, Middlesex and Naugatuck Valley community colleges to call on Congress to pass the America’s College Promise program proposed by President Obama last Friday. Governor Malloy has said that Connecticut will participate if the proposal becomes law. Approximately 57,000 students are currently enrolled in classes at Connecticut’s 12 community colleges.

“Higher education is more essential than ever in today’s job market, and college-educated Americans make more money and have greater job security than those without a college education. But college is becoming less and less affordable and student debt is continuing to climb. Access to higher education is fundamental to social mobility and a strong middle class. Connecticut’s great community colleges like Gateway, Middlesex and Naugatuck Valley help preserve that access. We need to make America’s College Promise a reality to fulfill our pledge that every generation has a chance to succeed.”

America’s College Promise would be a partnership between the federal government and the states to ensure two years of free community college is available to all eligible students. Students would have to attend college at least half-time, maintain a 2.5 GPA and make steady progress towards graduating.

The value of higher education is clear. If present trends continue by 2020 about two-thirds of job openings will require at least some college education. In the recent recession Americans with college degrees lost jobs at a much less significant rate than those without one.

However, a college education is increasingly being put out of reach for struggling families. According to the College Board, tuition and fees at two-year public colleges are now two-and-a-half times what they were 30 years ago, after accounting for inflation.

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