the fafsa as it is today can be a huge barrier for students who want to go to college. the proposal that we have on the table now will help save taxpayers and make the fafsa process less painful by cutting up to 22 questions from the form, and it lays the groundwork for a broader fafsa reform that senator alexander and i have been working on which we propose to cut even further to maybe 17 to 30 questions. but getting those two priorities across the finish line today is not just about renewing funding or cutting red tape. at their core, these issues are about opening doors of opportunity for young people who have talent and motivation to succeed in college and in life. but they have not necessarily had the financial means or the family connections to do so. this is about making sure we empower every young person in this country to reach their full potential and then pay it forward for future generations. that is what gives me the home standing here today. it's what makes me excited today. and, again, i want to thank my colleagues for the incredible effort senator alexan

esterday, i reintroduced an fafsa version of the act. my wo bill would simplify the erification, student loan repayment process. my bill also provides a more secure way for taxpayer data to shared between the i.r.s. and the department of education for the purposes of verifying income applicants requesting or renewing eligibility for income driven loan repayment plans. state of washington ranked miest in -- ranked table. of grants on the with the high cost of education that's unacceptable. of borrowers and income driven repayment fail to ecertify their income on time, resulting in payment spikes and nterest capitalization for approximately 1.3 million borrowers. this important legislation is reducing the in burdensome verification process or students and parents filing for aid. addressing a drive challenge many students face accessing and affording higher education. i'm honored to be working with y colleagues in the senate, chairman alexander, and ranking member murray, to simplify and fafs if an he application -- fafsa application proces

i don't know how many of you have ever seen a fafsa application. it this way, it is not student friendly. it's not me friendly either.i was having a hard time figuring out what i would do if i had to fill it out. if you're a middle-class student or upper-class come from a family where the parents are going to college and you got all sorts of advisors around somebody can sit down and help you with the paperwork.the students don't have anybody. to help them. they really are on their own. so how to deal with that problem pee dee it's a newfangled low cost way. he sent text messages to the students and you say you are fafsa application is due next week. by the way, if you need help just text the following number and we will get you help. that little innovation costs approximately nothing. text messages are essentially free. at georgia state which was the first place to do this, cut the summer melt problem by 40%. by the way, little things make a huge difference. when california took the letter it sends to high school kids encouraging them to take the f

they want the money they don't want to have to fill out the fafsa but a lot of them also like the ideadoing things on their own. it's important for all of us to send signals to young people you will be rewarded for enterprise and trying and doing things on your own s'more were the rewards system so i think it's quite easy to change the political culture if you focus on and also play to their natural wisdom. [applause] i encourage all of you to buy a book a friend, your enemy all of them will be enriched by a reading this wonderful book. [applause] [inaudible conversations] >> certainly as an individual could not understand how we get past the idea of what whiteness means and it hinges upon the notions of superiority and notions of greater depth of humanity. but i think there is a huge body of work that we need to grapple with and one of the challenges, similar to the question of patriarchy. one of the challenges is we spend our entire lives to be taught to value certain things and think a particular way and as americans one piece of that is that mythology that we are innocent and that'

they want independence from their parents rhythm they want to not have to fill out the fafsa a lot of them also like the idea of doing things on your own. so i think it's important for all of us to send signals to young people that you will be rewarded for enterprise, for trying, for doing things on your own area and currently our system doesn't particularly do that. it's more a reward system about how you can figure out about what you can get from the point of view of a 17-year-old so i think it's quite easy to change the political culture if you focus on 16 to 20-year-olds and show them what's in it for them and also play to their natural wisdom which they have and say we understand that you might think this and you might not be wrong. please join me in thanking o amity. >>. >> and i encourage all ofyou to buy a book . for a friend, buy a copy for your enemy. all of them will be enriched by the experience of reading this wonderful book . [applause]

want, they want the money and they want independence from their parents and not have to fill out the fafsaut a lot of them also like the idea of doing things on your own. it's important for us to send signals to young people that you will be rewarded for enterprise and trying and doing things on your own and going your own way. currently our system does not do that. reward system of how you can figure out about what you can get from the point of view. it's quite easy to change the if you focus on the 16 - 20-year-old and show them what's in it for them and play to their natural wisdom which they have and say we understand you might think this and you might not be wrong. [applause] i encourage you to buy a book bio copy for your friend, by copy for your enemy. all will be enriched by reading the wonderful wonderful book. [inaudible conversations] [shouting] >> the speedway was a big it was the big event that started often worldwide fame that people know indianapolis because of racing. with a healthy sport and a healthy track i don't think it'll ever change. >> he was one of the most famous

you fill out a fafsa and your time is waisted. the systems are not talking to eachte other. part where you and i part ways is the idea it should be free for everybody. there are a lot of good k through 12:00 education. e everybody in my fission should finish at least high school. i just don't think everybody wants to go to college. cost shouldn't be a barrier. we are sending a massage that you can't get ahead unless you go to college. i think every single american access to it. we should make sure you have that responsibility whether you have been to college or not i guess my instinct is for those who need it the most. i'mth hoping you feel there is a lot more overlap even if i can't n win you on the overlap. [ applause ] >> i'm really interested in hearing you talk about addressing and identifyingt mental illness. also yourth response to the opid crisis, also with the more adcontroversial treatments. >> yes, it could be devisive but leadership will get us in the right direction. we will seek to get us in the right direction. methadone assisted treatment. it worked and final

talk to each other so that that hard to navigate system that you were talking about -- you fill out a fafsand your time is being weighted by the -- wasted by the government because the departments are not talking to each other. i respect where you're coming from. that are a lot of things -- like k-12 education that should be free for everybody. in my vision, everybody should at least finish high school. i do not think that everybody -- i know that not everybody wants to go to college. everybody who does, cost should not be a barrier. i worry that when we say it should be universal, we are sending a message that you cannot go it -- cannot get ahead unless you go to college or that college is a fundamental need that every american should have. i think every american should have access to it, i think we should make sure that everyone can thrive whether or not you have been to college. moreof the dollars -- my progressive instinct is to spend those dollars on someone who needs it most. i hope you feel like there is a between where we are. thank you for coming. [applause] >> i really appreciate

some complicated stuff like the fafsa the free application for federal student aid. key in and please know that you can probably pay a 3rd from your income, a 3rd from your saving than a 3rd from financial aid. those numbers are too big and it's a process and the best thing you can do is start thinking about it now and then get very realistic with your kids a freshman in high school because a lot of schools use your sophomore year to determine financial aid and again those numbers are not little 5.29 plans are great. but start your own research at saving for college dot com ok very good. think there's always a robin don't forget you can always reach out to rob ask him a question you can e-mail directly robber a black dot com you can find my facebook and twitter at those handles you see on the screen. >>and of course you can always find him on our website at kron 4 dot com. ♪ here in the club i can't even hear my own voice. ♪ ♪ jack in the box would've been a better choice. ♪ head to jack in the box and experience the joy of missing out with my $3 mini munchies. get '

this you fill out a fafsa, your time is being wasted.he government has that information, but the systems aren't talking to each other. i think the part where you and i part ways is that it should be free for everyone. i respect where you are coming from, because there are a lot of goods like k-12 education that should be free for everybody. but everybody in my vision should finish at least high school. i just don't think that everybody -- i know that not everybody wants to go to college. everybody who does, cost shouldn't be a barrier. but we know that not everybody does. i do worry when we say it ought to be universal, we're sending a message that you can't get ahead unless you go to college, or that college is a fundamental need that every single american should have. i think every single american should have access to it, but i think we have a responsibility to make sure that everyone can thrive whether you've been to college or not. and some of those dollars that could go to funding the free ride tuition for that top 10%, i guess my

education, for funding historically black colleges and fixing the federal aid for student assistance, the fafsaomething that will be significant for thousands of americans. and i'm joining with a bipartisan group in calling for an inquiry into how the department of education is failing in their mission to provide student loan relief for hundreds of thousands of americans who are totally and permanently disabled. something i've worked with senator portman on now for several years. frankly, we're continuing to do work to get bills passed and we are having conversations about how we'll respond. but there hasn't been a serious beginning of negotiations between republicans and democrats in the senate about what the rules will be. i'll remind you that during the clinton impeachment, ultimately the rules were adopted unanimously after a meeting in the old senate chamber of the entire senate. it's my hope that after this morning's announcement by speaker pelosi, if it's clear that the trial is likely to be moving forward that we'll see prompt negotiations between majority leader mcconnell and minority