House Passes College Bill, Though Democrats Drop Out

The House on Thursday approved a bill aimed at making college decisions easier and more affordable for families.

How much the measure would help, though, remains in dispute.

The House approved the bill, 221-199, in a near party-line vote. Most Democrats objected after their own version failed.

They wanted to cut in half the interest rate on student loans this July.

The House bill would simplify steps for people seeking federal aid, and it would place pressure on colleges to refrain from steep tuition increases. It also would require schools to provide clear information about their costs to the Education Department, to be posted on its website as a tool for families.

But Democrats and Republicans could not agree on the core point -- how the federal government should help people deal with rising tuition costs.

Republican leaders said forcing colleges to be more accountable for costs would help families. They also touted an increase in the maximum amount awarded under the Pell Grant, although Congress rarely approaches that limit when it appropriates money for the grants.

Under the House bill, colleges that increase tuition more than twice the rate of inflation over three years would have to explain why. The House softened parts of the requirement to get the bill passed.