{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://onder.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-onders-bill-increase-transparency-higher-education-costs-passes-committee", "Rep. Onder\u2019s Bill to Increase Transparency in Higher Education Costs Passes Committee", "2025-12-16", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Robert F. Onder, Jr.", "O000177", "onder.house.gov", "onder", "https://onder.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Contact: Brooke Morgan\n\n(Washington, D.C.) \u2013 Congressman Bob Onder (R-MO) joined Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) and Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) in sponsoring H.R. 6498, the Student Financial Clarity Act. The bipartisan legislation passed out of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce on December 11, 2025, and now awaits consideration on the House floor.\n\nH.R. 6498 will increase price transparency for American students as they navigate higher education opportunities, improve the Universal Net Price Calculator, and bolster the College Scorecard to provide additional information about specific programs of study.\n\n\u201cI am proud to join Congressman Guthrie in leading the Student Financial Clarity Act. With the cost of higher education continuing to rise, it is crucial that we help students thrive by creating transparency around institutions, programs, and costs. This is exactly what the Student Financial Clarity Act will accomplish. By creating an accurate Universal Net Price Calculator, this bill will empower students to compare universities and programs to help identify the best option not only for their educational future but also for their financial future,\u201d said Congressman Bob Onder.\n\n\u201cToday, America\u2019s young people face the daunting task of navigating an increasingly complex higher education landscape. As a result of the skyrocketing cost of education, Americans now owe nearly $1.8 trillion in student loans,\u201d said Congressman Guthrie. \u201cMy Student Financial Clarity Act would allow students to easily access information about the costs and outcomes at institutions and individual programs so they can evaluate the program that is best suited for their academic interests and financial means. This bill will bring much-needed clarity for the American student.\u201d\n\n\u201cToo many college degree programs overpromise and underdeliver. In a time of declining trust in postsecondary education, now more than ever students deserve transparency so they know whether a program is worth the investment of their time and money. This bill is another strong step toward promoting sensible borrowing, driving down costs, and ending the hidden expenses that mire borrowers in student loan debt,\u201d said Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI).\n\n\u201cFamilies deserve clear, accessible information when making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives,\u201d said Congresswoman Trahan. \u201cThe Student Financial Clarity Act builds on years of work to strengthen Net Price Calculators and expands those reforms through a modernized College Scorecard with transparency on costs, aid, and student outcomes broken down by institution and program. This bill delivers on the simple idea that every student should know what they are paying for and what they can expect in return. I\u2019m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation to help students and parents navigate the path to higher education with confidence.\u201d\n\n-30-\n\nLink to the bill text can be found HERE\n\nLink to the Markup:Markup of H.R. 6392, H.R. 6472, H.R. 6498, and H.R. 6502\n\nBackground Information\n\nThe Student Financial Clarity Act builds upon Guthrie\u2019s Net Price Calculator Improvement Act, which he introduced in the last three sessions of Congress to establish a Universal Net Price Calculator.\n\nSince 2008, Congress has required institutions of higher education to provide Net Price Calculator tools on their websites as a part of the Higher Education Opportunity Act. However, this tool has been implemented inconsistently, resulting in students experiencing difficulty in accessing important information when making the most crucial decisions of their academic careers.\n\nIf enacted, the Student Financial Clarity Act would:", 1, "2026-04-16T05:48:36Z", "2026-04-16T05:50:08Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://onder.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-onders-bill-increase-transparency-higher-education-costs-passes-committee"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6011311672627926, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}