WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep Dean Phillips (MN-03) announced the introduction of his bill, the Higher Education Funds Integrity Act, to prevent federal education funds from being used by universities to lobby Congress.
Currently, the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 prohibits the use of federal funds received under the Higher Education Act of 1965 from being used by any higher education institution to fund lobbying activities in Congress. Phillips’s bill extends that prohibition to future federal education funding under the upcoming College Affordability Act.
“I’m on a mission to restore trust in our government and to build a system that works for the people,”said Phillips. “When it comes to education, that means ensuring universities are using taxpayer dollars to fund higher education for Americans, not lobbyists on Capitol Hill.”
The House Education and Labor Committee passed the College Affordability Act favorably out of committee on October 31st, 2019. The legislation seeks to halt rising tuition costs, increase the value of Pell Grants, and make student loans easier to pay off. Phillips’s bill underscores the importance of using those dollars for the purposes of education.
Phillips has championed government reform during his first term in Congress. His amendment to close lobbying loopholes passed the House as part of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, in March. Phillips is the only member of Congress who refuses campaign contributions from all special interest PACs, federal lobbyists and other members of Congress.