cannabisnews.com: Lawmakers Take Stand Against Denying Financial Aid





Lawmakers Take Stand Against Denying Financial Aid
Posted by FoM on March 02, 2001 at 09:13:54 PT
By Philip Elliott, For The Post
Source: The Post
A coalition of U.S. House Democrats introduced legislation today that would repeal a moratorium on federal financial aid to college students with drug convictions, citing denial of aid for 8,162 students this school year."Someone who commits murder or armed robbery is not automatically barred from financial aid eligibility," said U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.). "But if you have even one non-violent drug conviction, you can't get any aid for a year, with longer bans for people with additional convictions."
The block on financial aid, stemming from 1998 amendments to the Higher Education Act, intended to curb drug use and make a strike in the war on drugs." The war on drugs has turned out to be a war on our own people, in this case young people," said Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), a cosponsor of the resolution.These young people have the ability to change, said Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).The application for student aid does not include questions about other convictions. "It singles out drug use as if it were worse than any other crime," Frank said.The law blocks students from receiving financial aid for one year if they have been convicted once, for two years if they have been convicted twice and indefinitely if they have been convicted more than twice. Students convicted of selling drugs would lose aid for two years from the conviction date of the first offense and indefinitely for the second. Students can regain their aid if they complete a rehabilitation program or if the conviction is overturned.Frank introduced identical legislation in the last session, but leadership curtailed the measure in committee.Student leaders, lobbyists and legislators said they hope the climate this session will allow the bill to be passed. "We hope it will go through this Congress, or in 2002," said Shawn Heller, national director for Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, a group of 77 college chapters, three high school chapters and 64 interest groups.A dozen college students and some university financial aid administrators attended the news conference yesterday at the Capitol Building. "These individuals, convicted of felony drug possession or the sale of illegal drugs, have paid their debt to society through the justice system," said Larry Zaglaniczny, director of Congressional relations at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Ohio University is a member.Supporters of the measure include the Association of Big Ten Schools, the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Student governments, including OU's Student Senate, also are joining the campaign.Student Senate adopted a resolution Feb. 7 urging Congressional leadership to repeal the question.Senate's Off-campus Housing Commissioner Luke Ellwood said students must protest the standard."I don't think it's a drug issue," he said. "It's an access to education issue."Complete Title: Lawmakers Take Stand Against Denying Financial Aid To Drug OffendersSource: Post, The (OH) Author: Philip Elliott, For The PostPublished: March 1, 2001Address: Baker Center, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701 Copyright: 2001 The Post Contact:  post oak.cats.ohiou.edu Website: http://thepost.baker.ohiou.edu/ Related Articles & Web Site:Students for Sensible Drug Policyhttp://www.ssdp.org/ Bush Likely To Enforce Drug Rule in Financial Aid http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8842.shtmlProposal Would Allow Education Aid http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8837.shtmlProtests Rise Over Anti-Drug Law That Denies Loans http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8288.shtml 
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Comment #2 posted by Dan Hillman on March 02, 2001 at 11:13:49 PT
Whoa!
The jelly-spined democrats actually taking a stand on the war on drugs? Golly, I wonder how strong a media breeze will knock down this coalition?
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Comment #1 posted by jAhn on March 02, 2001 at 10:35:49 PT
Applause, applause.
 I feel that D-Barney Frank should def. receive some good credit for the fact that he used an example of such importance. Stating the fact that it appears that no crime could be worse than that of using/dealing illicit substances. I love when pols. use examples of Violence in "Our" society that goes unreported to create stonewalls in the Anti's "policy-forging-procedures." And to think that this society can be called yours ---Dearly Beloved, Courageous, Peace-Hoping,War-Ending,Intelligent and Ever-Oppressed Pahthead, not this year...
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