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Pelosi and CAPAC: Asian American and Pacific Islander Students Benefit from College Cost Reduction Act

September 18, 2007

Pelosi and CAPAC: Asian American and Pacific Islander Students Benefit from College Cost Reduction Act

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Contact: Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. â€" Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) released the following statement on the new investments made in minority-serving institutions in the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. The bill, which was signed by Congressional leaders and sent to the President today, creates a new designation for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) serving institutions:

â€Å"Today, we send to the President landmark legislation that reduces college costs for millions of young Americans,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said. â€Å"The College Cost Reduction and Access Act not only makes the largest investment in student financial aid since passage of the GI Bill in 1944, but also, for the first time in history, creates a designation for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) serving institutions. This landmark legislation will finally become a reality for students in San Francisco and across the nation who want to go to college. Because of the pioneering work of several leaders in the AAPI community, we are keeping our commitment to a better future and a stronger nation by making college more affordable for all of our nation’s young people so that they too may achieve the American Dream.”

â€Å"This is an outstanding bill, but I am especially pleased with the provisions that address our country’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities,” said Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. â€Å"Having higher education institutions that serve the AAPI community finally will become a reality. There are many brilliant students in our communities who will benefit from this and who will also be able to give back to our country thanks to this investment. I am especially grateful to former Congressman Robert Underwood for originally making AAPI institutions a priority and to Congressman David Wu for keeping this initiative a priority.”

Congressman David Wu (D-OR) said, â€Å"For five years I have worked to see that colleges and universities across the country better assist low-income and underserved Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in their pursuit of a college education. With the support of my colleagues in Congress and the AAPI community, this goal is now a reality. Today marks a historic moment in which this great country is delivering equal education services to low-income AAPI students. While we must celebrate this momentous occasion, we must also understand that our work is not done. I will continue to work hard to ensure that all Americans have equal access to high quality education."