The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act – This legislation puts the interests of students over the big banks by making college education more affordable and accessible and ending wasteful subsidies for the big banks, saving taxpayers more than $60 billion over ten years. This law then invests these savings in the following ways:
- An estimated $120 million in additional funding for Pell Grants which will help nearly 3,000 more Nevada students afford a college education.
- Nearly $8 million over the next five years headed to higher education for default prevention, financial literacy, debt counseling, to make it easier for students to manage the financial demands of tuition.
- Making it easier for community colleges to apply for millions in grant funding for improvements to educational or career training programs.
- Starting in 2014, Nevada graduates won’t have to pay more than 10% of their net income back in loan payments, and after 20 years of paying off their loans, anything left will be forgiven.
Higher Education Funding – Senator Reid delivered more than $300 million dollars in research funding for Nevada’s colleges and universities.
Elementary and Secondary Education Funding – Senator Reid secured more than $13 million for Nevada students that will fund technology, afterschool programs, expanded math and science curriculum, charter schools, dropout prevention programs, and other important needs.
Economic Recovery Act – Senator Reid guided the Recovery Act through Congress, which delivered more than $400 million to Nevada’s schools, colleges, and universities to help save education jobs, retain services, and slow the rise of tuition. As of right now, the recovery act is responsible for creating or saving more than several thousand jobs in Nevada’s schools and universities.
Southern Nevada Higher Education Land Act – Senator Reid is fighting to pass legislation that would provide thousands of federal acres for Nevada’s education institutions to help them grow and meet their needs. This includes 40 acres for the College of Southern Nevada, 285 acres for Great Basin College, and 2,085 acres for UNLV.
Teach for America – Senator Reid worked to bring Teach for America to Nevada, which benefited the state through the hiring of several hundred highly qualified teachers in Clark County.
America COMPETES Act – Senator Reid led passage of the America COMPETES Act, which will improve math and science, while increasing the government’s commitment to research projects.
College Cost Reduction and Access Act – This provides more than $20 billion in new higher education grants and benefits.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – Thanks to Senator Reid, the federal share for IDEA is at its highest levels ever.
College Tuition Tax Credit – Senator Reid successfully fought to increase and expand the tax credit for college tuition and other higher education expenses which will make college more affordable for Nevadans.
Nevada State College Campus – Senator Reid provided land for Nevada State College when he successfully pushed through a land transfer.
UNLV Research Park – Senator Reid conveyed 122 acres of federal land to UNLV Research Foundation for construction of research center and provided special authority to allow the Foundation to keep and reinvest 100% of any lease revenues from the land.
