T
The420Guy
Guest
Washington, DC: Congressman Barney Frank reintroduced legislation
yesterday to repeal federal provisions that currently ban federal
financial aid to students who have been convicted of any federal or state
drug offense, including smoking marijuana.
"Someone who commits murder or armed robbery is not automatically barred
from financial aid eligibility," Frank said, "but if you have even one
non-violent drug conviction you can't get any aid for a year.
Authorities previously had the discretion to bar aid to people based on
the severity of their crimes and whether they are taking steps to
rehabilitate themselves. My bill would simply restore that discretion."
Twenty-three co-sponsors have signed on to Frank's bill, and more than
70 civil and national education groups have endorsed it. Proponents
include the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the National
Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) and NORML.
"All students caught using or selling drugs already pay a penalty
through the local, state or federal law enforcement system," said
co-sponsor George Miller (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House
Education and the Workforce Committee. "But only low-income students
will face a double penalty of being denied financial aid. That is
unfair. Denying students access to financial aid on top of that
punishment will only undermine our national goal of creating hope and
opportunity for our youth through a quality education."
According to the Department of Education statistics, more than 8,100
students were denied aid during the 2000-2001 school year because of the
ban, which became part of the Higher Education Act in 1998, but only took
effect last July.
For more information, please contact R. Keith Stroup, NORML Executive
Director, at (202) 483-5500. To send a letter to your member of Congress
in support of Frank's bill, visit: Tokin' Politics.
NORML Foundation
1001 Connecticut Ave., NW
Ste. 710
Washington, DC 20036
202-483-8751 (p)
202-483-0057 (f)
www.norml.org
foundation@norml.org
yesterday to repeal federal provisions that currently ban federal
financial aid to students who have been convicted of any federal or state
drug offense, including smoking marijuana.
"Someone who commits murder or armed robbery is not automatically barred
from financial aid eligibility," Frank said, "but if you have even one
non-violent drug conviction you can't get any aid for a year.
Authorities previously had the discretion to bar aid to people based on
the severity of their crimes and whether they are taking steps to
rehabilitate themselves. My bill would simply restore that discretion."
Twenty-three co-sponsors have signed on to Frank's bill, and more than
70 civil and national education groups have endorsed it. Proponents
include the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the National
Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) and NORML.
"All students caught using or selling drugs already pay a penalty
through the local, state or federal law enforcement system," said
co-sponsor George Miller (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House
Education and the Workforce Committee. "But only low-income students
will face a double penalty of being denied financial aid. That is
unfair. Denying students access to financial aid on top of that
punishment will only undermine our national goal of creating hope and
opportunity for our youth through a quality education."
According to the Department of Education statistics, more than 8,100
students were denied aid during the 2000-2001 school year because of the
ban, which became part of the Higher Education Act in 1998, but only took
effect last July.
For more information, please contact R. Keith Stroup, NORML Executive
Director, at (202) 483-5500. To send a letter to your member of Congress
in support of Frank's bill, visit: Tokin' Politics.
NORML Foundation
1001 Connecticut Ave., NW
Ste. 710
Washington, DC 20036
202-483-8751 (p)
202-483-0057 (f)
www.norml.org
foundation@norml.org
