Dear Editor,
With all the news about the inability of a severely divided Congress to do much of anything except shift the blame to the other party, we can be proud that our U. S. Representative, Peter Welch, is bucking the trend. For example, he worked across the aisle with Representative Trey Gowdy, a South Carolina Republican, to change a law so as to fight higher education costs.
The first change allows high school students in dual enrollment programs to earn college credit. They will be able to graduate sooner, with lower total tuition costs.
The second change required review of higher education regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education and identification of unnecessary and costly regulations that contribute to ever-higher college operating costs. The law is the Advancing Competency-Based Education Demonstration Act.
We can be proud that Congressman Welch worked with a Republican to try to reduce college costs. Only by efforts like this can we maintain the broad access to higher education that provides many students a middle class career.
Yours sincerely,
Herbert G. Ogden, Mt. Tabor. Vt.
