Senator Patty Murray Discusses Breaking Barriers to Higher Education

On May 19, College Success Foundation and the Seattle Times hosted Senator Patty Murray for a conversation on how to make higher education affordable and accessible for all. Seattle Times publisher Frank Blethen and CSF President & CEO James Dorsey also engaged in this fruitful discussion on the higher education landscape and the challenges we face.

“The barriers to higher education don’t just hurt the individuals unable to attend; it hurts our communities and our economy,” Senator Murray said.

During the conversation, Senator Murray—who chairs the Senate committee on education—discussed her vision for higher education. She also discussed her collaboration with the White House on education policy and reviewed the America’s College Promise Act. This legislation provides two years of tuition-free access to community or technical college programs.

“There’s no going back to ‘normal’ when ‘normal’ was not working for so many low-income students pre-pandemic,” Senator Murray said. “We have to build back fairer and stronger to make high education affordable for everyone.”

She highlighted the $40 billion in funding she secured through the American Rescue Plan for student emergency financial aid. She also highlighted a provision in this plan that ensures all student loan forgiveness is tax-free. And as a recipient of Pell Grants herself, she previewed her reintroduction of the Pell Grant Preservation & Expansion Act. This legislation would double the maximum Pell Grant over several years.

“As a former community college instructor in Washington state, I know how life-changing higher education can be for our students and families. It was thanks to Pell Grants and student loans that I was able to graduate and get a great education from Washington State University,” Senator Murray said.