Press Releases

BUENA VISTA, VIRGINIA – Today, Congressman Ben Cline (R-VA) hosted his annual higher education roundtable at Southern Virginia University with higher education leaders from across Virginia’s Sixth District to hear directly from them and discuss ways to make higher education more affordable for every family and ensure access to opportunities that fit students’ needs best.

Congressman Cline was joined by Southern Virginia University Provost Dr. James Lambert, Washington and Lee University President William Dudley, Mary Baldwin University President Dr. Jeffrey Stein, Roanoke College President Dr. Frank Shushok Jr., Blue Ridge Community College President Dr. John Downey, and Radford University Carilion President Dr. Bret Danilowicz.

Last October, Congressman Cline held his higher education roundtable at the Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave.

Rep. Ben Cline said, “I have long believed that no family or student should worry that attending college or university will break the bank, rack up mountains of debt, or fail to prepare them for good-paying jobs in the real world. With more than 20 colleges and universities within Virginia’s Sixth District, we need to do the hard work of finding solutions to improve student performance, boost post-graduation job placement and keep tuition affordable. It was great to be with so many higher education leaders in Buena Vista today to hear their ideas and share my actions to ensure affordability and opportunity for students.”

In the 118^th Congress, Congressman Cline cosponsored the Know Before You Owe Federal Student Loan Act of 2023 (H.R. 1216), which would strengthen loan counseling requirements to ensure colleges are fully preparing their students to take out loans in a responsible manner. He also cosponsored the Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act (H.R. 1250), which would ensure that students of owners of family farms or small businesses would not be unfairly penalized in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process.

In the 117^th Congress, Congressman Cline cosponsored the Responsible Education Assistance through Loan (REAL) Reforms Act (H.R. 8655), which offers commonsense, fiscally responsible reforms that protects students, borrowers, and taxpayers. He also cosponsored the Simplified Joint Consolidation Separation Act (H.R. 8909), which would establish a more efficient process for separating joint consolidation loans to ensure timely relief for borrowers and ensure the Education Secretary’s authority is narrowly tailored to help those in need.

In the 116^th Congress, Congressman Cline served on the House Education and Labor Committee’s Subcommittee on Higher Education, and cosponsored the Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act of 2019 (H.R. 4098), which revises requirements governing the financing and accreditation of postsecondary education. Congressman Cline also cosponsored the Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act of 2019 (H.R. 1605), which directs the Department of Education (ED) to establish a tax-exempt Military Education Savings Account to provide children with parents on active duty in the uniformed services with funds to pay educational expenses.

Congressman Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. He previously was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and Member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children.

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