PLASKETT-BACKED BIPARTISAN BILL TO GUARANTEE IN-STATE TUITION FOR TERRITORIAL STUDENTS ADVANCES FROM EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE COMMITTEE

For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland

December 12, 2025 202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

PLASKETT-BACKED BIPARTISAN BILL TO GUARANTEE IN-STATE TUITION FOR TERRITORIAL STUDENTS ADVANCES FROM EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE COMMITTEE

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-VI) released the following statement after the House Education and Workforce Committee approved bipartisan legislation that would guarantee in-state tuition rates for students from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. The bill, led by the territorial Members, was marked up and advanced by the Committee on December 11, 2025. This legislation now advances to the House floor for consideration, marking a major step forward toward easing the financial burden faced by territorial students pursuing higher education on the mainland.

The measure would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require public institutions receiving federal funds to charge eligible territorial residents no more than the in-state tuition rate. Out-of-state tuition can often be two to three times higher than in-state rates, placing a disproportionate financial barrier on families who already contend with higher costs of living, limited on-island degree options, and the added burden of long-distance relocation.

"I am proud to join Congressman Moylan, Congresswoman Radewagen, Congressman Hernández, and Congresswoman King-Hinds in this critical effort to address a fundamental inequity faced by residents of the U.S. territories," said Congresswoman Plaskett. "Since my first term in office, I have fought for legislation to expand in-state tuition college access for students in the Virgin Islands and the other U.S. territories. In 2022, I secured a provision in the Build Back Better Act, which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, that would have established a college access grants program to cover the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition rates for students from the small territories. Yesterday's vote out of Committee brings us one step closer to making this long-sought goal a reality. Our students deserve the same educational opportunities and pathways to success as their peers in the states, and guaranteeing in-state tuition rates is essential to reducing the burden of student debt and opening doors to the careers and training needed to strengthen our local economy."

Congressman Moylan (R-GU) stressed that the legislation is fundamentally about fairness and educational affordability: "Families on Guam and across our neighboring islands already struggle with higher costs of living, limited degree options at home, and the added expense of traveling thousands of miles to pursue their education. This bill tackles one of the biggest affordability barriers our students face and finally guarantees them equal access to the higher education opportunities their peers in the states already receive. We're not just expanding access to college, we're ultimately investing in the future workforce, leadership, and economic strength of our islands."

Congresswoman Aumua Amata Radewagen (R-American Samoa) highlighted the long-standing challenges students face: "Our students deserve the same access to four-year University degrees that millions of students in all 50 States have. Our students often find ways to succeed despite obstacles like these, but they do not have the same opportunities for in-state university tuition that almost all the country has. I appreciate working together with my colleagues on this bipartisan priority to provide meaningfully better access to higher education for students from the four insular territories. This bill would help correct a significant financial disadvantage, opening the door to our students' pursuit of excellent academic and career goals."

Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) voiced support for the bill, emphasizing the territories' critical role in the nation's security and workforce needs: "Territories like Guam play a vital role in America's national security and are important pieces of the fabric of our nation. As the Chinese Communist Party threatens U.S. interests in the Indo-Pacific, this bill will help students in Guam advance their education to obtain degrees that may not have been otherwise available. These students can then return and bring back much-needed workforce skills to help keep our nation safe. As Chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee, I am proud to support every opportunity possible to help America and its territories build stronger workforce pipelines with more opportunities for individuals to thrive."

"I want to thank Congressman Moylan for his leadership on this issue, as well as Congresswoman Radewagen, Congressman Hernández, and Congresswoman King-Hinds for their partnership in this fight for educational equity," Congresswoman Plaskett concluded. "I also extend my gratitude to Chairman Walberg, Ranking Member Scott, and all Members of the House Education and Workforce Committee for advancing this critical legislation. Yesterday's Committee action is an important milestone, but our work is not done. The legislation now moves to the full House of Representatives for consideration. If passed by the House and Senate, it will proceed to the President's desk to be signed into law. I remain committed to seeing this bill through the legislative process, ensuring that Virgin Islands students and all territorial students have the same access to affordable higher education as their peers across the nation."

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