Proprietary Education Oversight Coordination Improvement Act

Bill: 113-hr-4391
Sponsor: Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7]
Introduced: 2014-04-03 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Accounting and auditing
Administrative remedies
Business ethics
Consumer affairs
Corporate finance and management
Education programs funding
Executive agency funding and structure
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Higher education
Intergovernmental relations
State and local government operations
Student aid and college costs
Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation

Summary:
action_date: 2014-04-03
text: 
Proprietary Education Oversight Coordination Improvement Act - Establishes the Proprietary Education Oversight Coordination Committee to:
 
 
coordinate federal oversight of proprietary institutions of higher education (IHEs);
 
coordinate federal activities to protect students from unfair, deceptive, abusive, unethical, fraudulent, or predatory practices, policies, or procedures of proprietary IHEs;
 
encourage information sharing among federal agencies regarding federal investigations, audits, or inquiries of such IHEs;
 
increase coordination and cooperation between federal and state agencies to improve oversight and accountability of proprietary IHEs; and
 
develop best practices and consistency among federal and state agencies in the dissemination of consumer information regarding such IHEs.
 
 
Requires the Committee to: (1) meet at least once each quarter of each fiscal year; and (2) meet at least once each fiscal year, and otherwise interact regularly, with state attorneys general, state approval agencies, veterans service organizations, and consumer advocates.
 
Directs the Committee to submit, and make publicly available, an annual report to Congress that includes: (1) recommendations for legislative and administrative actions the Committees deems necessary to improve the enforcement of applicable federal laws, increase the accountability of proprietary IHEs to students and taxpayers, and ensure the promotion of quality education programs; and (2) specified financial and consumer information regarding such IHEs.
 
Requires the Committee, each academic year, to publish the For-Profit College Warning List for Parents and Students, which is to be comprised of proprietary IHEs:
 
 
that have engaged in illegal activity during the previous academic year as determined by a federal or state court;
 
that have entered into a settlement resulting in a monetary payment;
 
that have had any higher education program withdrawn or suspended; or
 
for which the Committee has sufficient evidence of widespread or systemic unfair, deceptive, abusive, unethical, fraudulent, or predatory practices, policies, or procedures that threaten the academic success, financial security, or general best interest of students.
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-06-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
action_date: 2014-04-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2014-04-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-04-03
text: Introduced in House