A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR JUSTICE

To the Editor:

Marcia Grann O'Brien's editorial "What's the price tag on the drug
bill?" March 30, 2005 raises a fair question regarding Rep. Joseph
Almeida's proposed legislation to reimburse students denied federal
financial aid under the Higher Education Act Drug Provision. However
there is little to worry about the cost of this important bill.

The HEA Drug Provision has cost 160,500 students education and
opportunity, yet the amount saved by the government has been minimal.
The Coalition for Higher Education Act Reform (CHEAR) estimates it
would cost Rhode Island merely $1.2 million per year to provide aid to
students impacted by this misguided federal policy, a small amount
compared to the proposed Public Higher Education Budget for FY2006
totaling $672 million.

The Department of Education estimates that 35,000 students will be
denied aid this year nationally. Approximately 130 of those will be
Rhode Islanders, judging by U.S. Census population statistics. It
would cost the state $1.2 million to finance tuition for these
students at the University of Rhode Island, assuming the state covered
each student in full and did so entirely through grants, not loans.
This is a small price to pay to make Rhode Island's educational system
fair and just.

Of course the best solution is for Congress to repeal the HEA Drug
Provision. However Rep. Almeida is responding to six years of inaction
by the federal government in addressing this issue. Passing his bill
will encourage leaders in Washington such as Sen. Lincoln Chafee to
repeal the Drug Provision, while ensuring that Rhode Island students
can afford the education they need.

Brian Dolber

Outreach Coordinator

Coaltion for Higher Education Act Reform

Washington, DC