EDUCAUSE Comments On Perkins Loans Program Extension

In support of the broader higher education community, EDUCAUSE joined letters advanced by the American Council on Education that called on Congress to extend the federal Perkins Loans program. As an institutionally based student aid program, Perkins Loans provides “low-interest federal student loans for undergraduate and graduate students with exceptional financial need” (https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/loans/perkins). The one-year extension supported by the letters would allow Congress to consider permanent renewal of the program within the context of reauthorizing the Higher Education Act, under which most of the nation’s Federal Student Aid programs are established.

One letter was directed to the U.S. representatives that had sponsored legislation in the House to authorize the Perkins Loans extension, expressing support for their bill. The other letter was directed to the leadership of the relevant Senate committee, asking the chair and ranking member to introduce a companion bill that would mirror the House legislation and thus speed passage of an extension.