On March 10, 2005 CHEAR stood up with representatives
from organizations such as the NAACP, the National
Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators,
and the ACLU at a press conference in the U.S. Capitol
Building, applauding members of Congress for introducing
the RISE Act. If enacted, this bill will repeal the
HEA Drug Provision, which, since taking effect in
2000, has denied financial aid to over 160,500 students
with prior drug convictions. The conference was very
successful and hopefully will help draw support to
the drug provision's full repeal!
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Rep. Barney Frank
(MA-4)
"Students who have drug
convictions but don't come from families that
need financial aid are not affected by this
law. I don't condone drug use and believe that
someone who commits a violent offense or is
a major drug trafficker should be denied financial
aid. But preventing students with minor convictions
from being able to pursue an education is counterproductive
and excessive." VIDEO
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Rep. Bobby Rush (IL-1)
"Not sure of the intent, but the ramifications
of this law have extreme racial overtones." VIDEO
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Rep. Danny Davis (IL-7)
"I have seen students come
into my office and cry, and weep because they
couldn't get financial aid," said Rep.
Danny Davis, adding that such punitive policies
are "archaic, insane, make no sense, and
are utterly ridiculous." VIDEO
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Rep. Robert Andrews (NJ-1)
"I'm here to raise my voice."
"I'm glad the principle of one mistake ruining your life doesn't apply to members
of Congress." VIDEO
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Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (MD-7)
Noted that all people including these students
"have one life to live" and we should
let them succeed in it. VIDEO
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Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-9)
"Education is a door to opportunity.
We need to open it
rather than slam it." The HEA Drug Provision
is a "prescription for an endless cycle of imprisonment." VIDEO
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Hilary Shelton (NAACP)
"The NAACP is further committed
to do all we can to see to it that this over-punitive
and consistently racist policy is overturned." VIDEO
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Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18)
Spoke not only of opposing the
HEA drug provision but of "standing against
it." "Education is a door opener."
"This provision hurts more than 160,000;
it hurts our nation and our economy." VIDEO
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Marisa Garcia
(Victim of the HEA Drug Provision)
"It's time for Congress
to admit that passing the HEA anti-drug provision
was a terrible mistake. Only full repeal of
this law will allow students like me to go to
college." VIDEO
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Larry Zaglaniczny
(National Association of Student Financial
Aid Administrators)
"Our members believe it is an inappropriate
use of federal power to utilize the student
assistance programs to deny such assistance
to individuals. Repeal should be accomplished
now." VIDEO
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Jesselyn McCurdy (ACLU)
"Othewise qualified students are being
punished twice. These are students that have
already faced the criminal consequences of
their actions. This policy makes it even harder
for those students most in need of financial
aid to get it." VIDEO
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Scarlett Swerdlow (SSDP)
"Souder's new proposal is a 10% solution
to a law that's 100% flawed." VIDEO
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