HJ0023 LRB094 11568 HSS 42566 r

1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, 20 United States Code section 1091(r) was added in
3 1998 as an amendment to the Higher Education Act; and
 
4     WHEREAS, This amendment excludes all students with any past
5 drug conviction from receiving federal financial aid to attend
6 institutions of higher learning; and
 
7     WHEREAS, This amendment makes no distinction between the
8 age of the drug offense or the level of the drug offense; and
 
9     WHEREAS, This amendment precludes all prior convicted drug
10 offenders from receiving financial aid for higher education
11 while individuals convicted of rape, arson, or armed robbery
12 are eligible for such aid; and
 
13     WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of
14 Education statistics, 140,000 students have either been denied
15 financial aid or stopped applying for aid as a result of this
16 drug provision; and
 
17     WHEREAS, This federal provision has had the effect of
18 punishing individuals who have already served criminal
19 sentences and paid their fines and who are attempting to become
20 productive citizens and taxpayers by obtaining higher
21 education degrees; and
 
22     WHEREAS, The repeal of 20 United States Code section
23 1091(r) has the support and backing of more than seventy
24 organizations around the country, including the National
25 Education Association, the National Council for Higher
26 Education, the American Federation of Teachers, the National
27 Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, and the
28 National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities;
29 therefore, be it
 

 

 

HJ0023 - 2 - LRB094 11568 HSS 42566 r

1     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
3 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge Congress and the
4 President of the United States to take immediate steps to
5 repeal 20 United States Code section 1091(r); and be it further
 
6     RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be presented to
7 the President of the United States, the President of the United
8 States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of
9 Representatives, and each member of the Illinois Congressional
10 Delegation.