First appearance on Fox: Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and her fellow senators wrote a bipartisan letter to the Biden administration, saying long delays in updating the college financial aid application process are hurting farmers and their families. They expressed concern that they were exposed to significant economic harm.
Ernst and 13 other senators, including the Montana Democrat, said, “We believe that the slow rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will hurt students and their families, especially family farms and small businesses.” “I am writing to express my ongoing concerns about the impact on background students.” Sen. Jon Tester sent a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona this week.
“Although the FAFSA Simplification Act was signed into law on December 27, 2020, the Department of Education has decided to “soft launch” the incomplete and confusing new format just three days after its usual October 1st release date. Released months late,” the letter continued. “Furthermore, Ed announced on January 30 that Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) will not be sent to universities until early March. This will help students consider aid offers and compare school options. has created an untenable timeline, and schools are already pushing forward with aid offers that date back to late April or early May. ”
The senators said question 22 on the FAFSA form relates to student assets and requires “each student to report the net worth of family businesses and commercial farming operations,” which the senators said is related to the school’s finances. claim that the complexity of the process is not taken into account. runs a farm.
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President Biden and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) (Getty Images)
“This question fundamentally changes how farmers operate, as crop and livestock income streams vary widely from year to year, and assets cannot be converted into cash to support financing with the same ability as traditional investments. You have misunderstood,” the letter states.
“According to Ed’s definition, these reported assets may include “the fair market value of land, buildings, livestock, unharvested crops, and machinery.” These assets can amount to millions of dollars, and the price of a combine harvester alone often costs him more than $400,000. This, combined with the expected decline in revenues for nearly all agricultural sectors heading into the 2023 harvest, shows that Ed lacked the critical insight needed to develop this plan. Masu. Asset Reporting Requirements. ”
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Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) will kick off a Roast and Ride event on June 3, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa. The annual event raises money for veterans’ charities and helps highlight Republican candidates and platforms. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The senators said that a farm family with an annual income of $60,000 and $1 million in farm assets would previously pay $7,626 a year in tuition for their children, but under the new system, that household could pay up to $41,056. It is argued that there must be.
“In this economy, asking Iowa farmers to pay five times as much to send their kids to college is elementary,” Ernst told Fox News Digital.
“As a farm kid myself and a Pell Grant recipient, I understand how important federal student aid is to the people of Iowa. That’s why I am applying to the Biden administration’s Department of Education to complete the FAFSA We are leading the charge to force a reassessment of forms and ensure the livelihoods of all our citizens.”
The letter asks who the Department of Education consulted with in rural areas about this regulation and whether there was any discussion about how it would affect families.
“How should families rationally calculate the value of their farms, including recent appraisals and commensurate values?” the senators asked. “Given that Ed has not provided guidance on many important issues regarding farm assets.”
The senators also asked the Department of Education to “conduct a detailed impact analysis of data across the application process in 2024-2025 to understand the year-on-year impact of the transition from the EFC method to the SAI method. Are you planning on doing so?” he asked.
Ernst was joined in the letter by Sen. Jon Tester of Mont. Chuck Grassley, Republican, Iowa. Pete Ricketts, Republican, Nebraska. Thom Tillis, R.N.C. James Risch, R-Idaho. Cindy Hyde-Smith, Republican Miss. Deb Fischer, Republican, Nebraska. Roger Marshall, Republican of Kansas. Roger Wicker, Republican Miss. Mike Crapo, Republican-Idaho. John Boozman, Republican, Arkansas. Kevin Kramer, RN.D.; and John Hoeven, MD, RN.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks to The Associated Press at the Department of Education’s offices on September 20, 2023, in Washington, DC. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
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Earlier this month, Ernst and Grassley released a fact sheet. press release The paper explains how delays in the Department of Education’s implementation of a streamlined FAFSA system could make it harder for students to apply for school, potentially leading to a “surge” in farmers’ economic contributions. .
“College-bound students and their families should have ready access to the financial aid on offer. But this year’s launch of the FAFSA will create more headaches than help. “We’re working hard,” Grassley said. “Senator Ernst and I will continue to work with the Department of Education to fix flaws in the new FAFSA so that when the time comes to choose a college, Iowans have the financial information they need. I’ll go.”
The Department of Education did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
