WASHINGTON — Julie Peller, Executive Director of Higher Learning Advocates, made the following statement to express the urgent need for Congress to support today’s students during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as through the higher education provisions included in the Supporting Students in Response to Coronavirus Act introduced by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA):

“As colleges and universities across the country are restricting access to or closing their campuses to slow the spread of COVID-19, it is essential that institutions and policymakers consider the very real impact these closures will have on today’s students. Many college students experience food or housing insecurity, rely on campus services such as child care, or support themselves with work-study wages, and will be severely impacted by campus closures. 

It is essential that we provide today’s students with support from the higher education system in response to this pandemic. To best serve students, any package that provides emergency funds in light of COVID-19 must include provisions such as those in the Supporting Students in Response to Coronavirus Act. We urge Congress to pass these measures swiftly and in a bipartisan manner to do what’s best for today’s students and the public health at large.”

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Higher Learning Advocates is a bipartisan non-profit organization that advocates for solutions to break down systemic barriers and support the success of today’s students in their pursuit of education and skills development beyond high school. We advance federal policies that create transparent pathways to success, incentivize innovation, protect students and taxpayers, and improve student outcomes