More than a decade has elapsed since the last reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, House Democrats have put forward their vision of a reauthorization, the College Affordability Act. The comprehensive overhaul offered, by Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, who chairs the House Committee on Education and Labor, would:

• Boost the size of the Pell Grant;
• Enact a Federal-State partnership to make community colleges free;
• Streamline student loan repayment; and
• Codify Obama-era college accountability issues.

The bill is not expected to gain Republican support in the Senate or from the Trump Administration. However, the legislation will provide a point of reference for discussions with the Senate and also serve as a marker for a future Congress in the event that it fails to gain traction now.