Wish to seek recognition. Per House Resolution 955 resolutions and members are required to leave the camera on the entire time they are in an official proceeding. Even if they step away from the camera. Our roll call is not necessary to establish a quorum and official proceedings conducted remotely whenever there is an official receding with remote participation the clerk will call the roll to help make clear who is present at the start of the preceding. This time i asked the clerk to call the roll. [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] [roll call] thank you very much. Pursuant to Committee Rule 7d Opening Statements are witnessed the chain the Ranking Member for this allows us to hear from our witnesses sooner and provide all members the adequate time to ask questions. Recognize myself a purpose of making an opening statement. Today we are examining how the covid19 pandemic is draining our Higher Education system and discussing what Congress Must do to support students and institutions through this difficult time. Across the country we have switched to on line learning and that is exacerbated preexisting systemic inequities in Higher Education. For example beyond campus resources that many students from backgrounds or land like computer lets them liable internet are now unavailable to most students. The suspension of on campus next to the is also threatening many students access to basic essentials like food. For these students going to school has been their primary way of meeting these needs. The survey from earlier this year found students of color are disproportionately suffering high rates of food and housing insecurity due to the closure of campuses. Research also indicates how most students do not perform as well in on line classes. Imagine how students are already starting off with fewer resources are more likely to struggle. Under these new educational conditions to adjust these disparities congress secured 14 billion in emergency funding for Higher Education and the bipartisan care and have that this funding is allocated specifically for direct student emergency aid. Additionally congress provided immediately relief like suspending student loan payments and interest on all direct and bitterly held Student Loans. Unfortunately instead of quickly dispersing these urgent relief funds to students however according to the law that we have passed in march secretary devos created it arbitrary eligibility requirement for students trying to access this. These restrictions not only prevent funding for quickly reaching students but they include several underserved groups of students who cannot apply for title iv aids such as undocumented students and veterans. In response the state of washington and the California CommunityCollege System which includes the san diego Community College district sued secretary devos. These lawsuits have temporarily stopped the department from denying California CommunityCollege Students and students across washington axis to the emergency student aid that congress secured. Setting aside the delays and unnecessary restrictions created by the department we must also address how the cares act did not go far enough to prepare institutions for this looming economic recession. In a pandemic institution are facing unprecedented state and local budget shortfalls that will trigger funding for Higher Education and they are facing massive revenue losses due to the decreased enrollment and that gave these. [inaudible] these cuts in revenue stop the program that many vulnerable students need to complete their degree and joined careers but we know these consequences are going to fall on colleges and universities private colleges and institutions and Community Colleges which have the fewest resources despite serving most of our countrys lowincome students and students of color. The pending legend tory process sending many unders and suggestions under pressure to permanently reopen their campuses even at the risk of exposing students, educators and communities to covid19. The evidence is overwhelmingly clear. Congress must do more to support our students and their institutions. The heroes act would take a critical step in the right direction. It provides nearly 1 trillion to help state and local governments invert overt budget cuts to education. It provides direct relief funds for Public Institutions and other institutions that have suffered financially including almost 2 billion for a cus pcus and msis. The extra funds however Congress Must also protect students from predatory these institutions have a record of using taxpayer dollars to target vulnerable students during economic downturn often leaving them with worthless degrees and debt that they cannot repay presimply put the covid19 pandemic is testing not only are students and their institutions but a commitment to ensuring all students have access to safe and affordable and quality education. Today with the help of our witnesses and we appreciate their being here we will discuss whether we can live up to that commitment. I now yield to the Ranking Member mr. Smucker for an opening statement. Thank you. Its good to see you. [inaudible] mr. Smucker. [inaudible] it was working a little bit ago. Ranking member smucker. When we did your initial audiovisual check were you using the airpods at the time sir . You sound fine now sir. Is that better . It is better. It was the bouncing back with a microphone. Thanks very about that. Does that sound better now . Are we get to go . Again before i discuss the topic i wanted to talk about the importance of doing our work in person. I didnt several members are here in the hearing room. Peter mccarthy had recently written in a letter to Speaker Pelosi that our congress which is literally a coming together of people and ideas that works best when it happens inperson facetoface and while im know that we have all love to have zoom and web access on all of this i really do think that we could operate in person and so i will make the same requested Ranking Member fox made at the start of our last hearing which is lets return to congressional precedent and hold their hearings here in person. Turning to the topic of todays hearing covid19 certainly has disrupted nearly every aspect of American Society including Higher Education. It was back in early march in the university of washington became the first school to cancel inperson classes pretoday over 1000 colleges and universities have switched to on line only instruction. From abrupt School Closures to remote on line learning students and educators have raised overwhelming challenges during this pandemic and thats why congress and the department of education took several steps to ease the burden for states or institutions and for students. The bipartisan cares act which was passed in march included provisions to help students schools and State Governments cope with the changes brought by the pandemic in addition to regular tory relief measures for students and institutions. The cares act provided temporary respirator from repayment allegations. Specifically the legislation requires the secretary to suspend all interest accumulation and the payments on bitterly held Student Loans through september 30 of this year. Most critically the cares act created and funded the Higher Ed Emergency Relief Fund which provided billions in direct aid to students in Postsecondary Education institutions including the hbcus and msis or thats not to say i want this dumper, contrary to but the pandemic is expose serious underlying deficiencies in our Education System or government overreach and unnecessary intervention is contributed to a bloated Postsecondary Education sector at the expense of students. Tuition and fees have far out taste inflation for decades. Federer carmans stifling interaction between businesses and College Campuses great unfortunately rather than innovating the democrats partisan act doubles down on what our policies. This legislation forgives 10,000 of federal and private Student Loan Debt for some borrowers which does nothing to combat covid19 or lower power ledge costs. I do recognize what to help people struggling to make ends meet that we have data from your. To the prove that acrosstheboard loans are giving us disproportionally highly educated individuals. Many americans facing the greatest financial strain as a result of pandemic could not have Student Loans at all. The bill also launches a social takeover of the private student loan market by forcing private Student Loan Companies to offer income driven repayment terms in addition to kid by the federal government. In contrast Committee Republicans continue to support reforms that strengthen innovation and completion, modernize federal student aid and promote student opportunities by giving students the tools needed to complete and affordable Postsecondary Education. We can prepare them to enter the workforce with the skills they need for success regardless of their background. These reforms wont matter for dont open or nation schools and this is a safely and responsibly. We have a duty to lead this country back to the prepandemic Economic Prosperity that an offended millions of hardworking americans. Congress can help further unleash our nations economic potential by increasing pathways for americans to succeed in the workforce. Specifically this means permitting colleges and universities to leverage employer expertise encouraging shortterm credentials and creating a Regulatory Framework for new methods of earning. These types of forwardlooking reforms have been championed by the Trump Administration are just a few weeks ago President Trump issued an executive order to prioritize skillsbased hiring within the federal government to help strengthen and diversify the workforce for this section will take our nations workers and students in a positive direction as we recover from covid19 and congress should follow the demonstrations lead on this issue. Look forward to hearing from our Witnesses Today about how we can improve our Education System to better meet the needs of students families and workers sprayed thank you madam chair. Thank you. Thank you Ranking Member smucker. All members who wish to enter their statements in the record may do so by submitting them to the Committee Clerk a laconic glee by 5 00 monday july 21. It is now my pleasure to introduce our witnesses. First is dr. Sharon pierce this team present at Minneapolis Community and Technical College since 2016 per dr. Sharon pierce has been meeting the effort at Minneapolis College to provide transformative student experiences. Doctors pierce has dedicated our career to advancing community and Technical Colleges and reducing disparities in providing underrepresented students with an opportunity to a cheap academic success. Doctors pierce worked as a clinical nurse for 12 years and was appointed by Maryland Governor to serve on the states board of nursing. She earned our bachelors and masters degrees from University Maryland and our doctorate degree in urban education from oregon State University. Our next witness is dr. Tim at the white ph. D. Counselor of California State University. Since 2013 dr. White has been leading the California State University system comprised of 23 sported a 1000 students and 53 thousands that go can step her doctor white bring individualized education to scale for the expansion of group and best practices. Hard to becoming counselor or dr. White served as chancellor and professor of biology and Biomedical Sciences at the university of California Riverside or five years as president of the university of idaho for four years per dr. White pursued his Higher Education act fresno state and the university of california birx we. Next is Scott Pulsipher but i hope i said that right serve. President of western Governors University. Since 2016 Scott Pulsipher is served as president of western Governors University the nations first and largest competencybased university. Under his leadership at the vcu wto has expanded access to on line degree programs for students across the country. Prior to joining wtu he gained extensive leadership and experience in technologybased customs focused businesses including amazon sterling commerce which is part of ibm and two successful startups. He hosted bashers degree from Brigham Young and a masters degree from Harvard University and last is dr. Sean tamera mowryhously president of the American EducationalResearch Association and the provost said professor in the school of education at the university of Southern California and usa. Dr. Harper is the clifford ambani allen chair. In urban leadership founder and executive character the lessee Equity Center and a past president of the association for the studies of Higher Education. For two decades harper is studied racial and gender equity colleges and universities and corporate context. He has been recognized in Education Week one of the 10 most influential education or passers in the United States. Dr. Harper earned his bachelors degree from albany State University and a masters in. It degree from indiana university. We greatly appreciate the witnesses for participating today and look forward to your testimony. I want to remind you that we have read your written statement and they will appear in full in the hearing message. Or soon to Committee Rule 7d inc. May practice each of you is asked to limit your oral presentation to the fiveminute summary of your written statement. I also wanted to remind the witnesses that pursuant to title xviii of the u. S. Code section 2001 it is illegal to knowingly and willfully falsify in a statement representation writing document or the terry terry of fact presented to congress or otherwise conceal the coverup. During our testimony we will use a chime to signal than one minute is left in when time is up entirely. We will send a short time when there is one minute left and a longer chime when time is up. Please be attended to the time and renewed your system. If any of you experience any technical difficulty during our testimony relating to hearing stay connected on the platform make sure your muted with a mute button highlighted in red and use your phone to immediately call the committees i. T. Director sheila haefner. We will let all the witnesses make their presentations before he moved to member questions and when answering a question please remember to undo your system. Its my pleasure to recognize doctors pierce for five minutes. Doctors pierce. Thank you chairman davis Ranking Member and distinguished subcommittee members that thank you for the opportunity to testify today but im sharon pierce president Minneapolis College for my testimony will describe the impact of the Global Pandemic on community and Technical Colleges and our students and the need for congress to provide additional aid. Our college located in urban setting is the only conference of community and Technical College in minneapolis. We have students who are not likely to succeed elsewhere to provide an opportunity to complete a ability to contribute to the economy. Our students face multiple barriers to academic success but covid19 but m