Should federal law limit college tuition increases? In the last year, tuition and fees at four-year public colleges rose 14 percent. Congress is considering action.

• Author: Lyall, Katharine C.
• Position: Debate

In the last year, tuition and fees at four-year public colleges rose 14 percent. Congress is considering action.

YES America's higher education system is in crisis. Explosive tuition increases are jeopardizing the dream of a college education for millions of students. According to the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, cost prevents 48 percent of all college qualified, low income high school graduates from attending a four-year college, and 22 percent from attending any college. This is unacceptable.

In October, I introduced the Affordability ha Higher Education Act, which would sanction colleges and universities that continually increase tuition mad fees at rates higher than inflation. Under the bill, schools that increase tuition and fees more than twice the rate of inflation over a three-year period could lose a portion of their federal money (but not direct aid to students).

Many argue this is an issue for the states and the institutions themselves to address--indeed, I am often told the federal government should do nothing but send more money. I disagree. The federal stake in this issue is tremendous, with over $70 billion in student aid provided by the federal government last year alone. The college cost crisis will not be resolved without federal intervention. Taxpayers should not be forced to provide endless federal subsidies without accountability for huge tuition increases.

Higher education in America is federally subsidized, and we have a responsibility at the federal level to ensure that our multibillion-dollar investment is making the dream of college a reality for needy students. They deserve nothing less.

-Congressman Buck McKeon Republican of California

NO As president of one of the nation's largest university systems, I am deeply concerned about rising college costs. But the proposal before Congress to...