Official Title: To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to repeal the provisions prohibiting persons convicted of drug offenses from receiving student financial assistance.

Find out the latest here:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-1184

Here is an activist site with more info and a petition:

The Coalition for Higher Education Act Reform (CHEAR) is a coalition of religious, criminal justice, drug treatment, education, civil rights, health organizations, and victims seeking to repeal the Drug Provision of the Higher Education Act, a 1998 law that delays or denies federal financial aid to anyone convicted of a state or federal drug offense. Since taking effect in hte fall of 2000, more than 175,000 students have been denied aid. These young people, who have already been punished for their offenses, are now dropping out of school or reducing their course loads because they cannot afford the high cost of tuition.

Since that time, a major student-led campaign to overturn the law has spread to hundreds of campuses around the nation

http://www.raiseyourvoice.com/

What a Great post haswtch! I'm currently doing my masters study and have known a few people to lose their aid while attending college. It's rediculous! One mess up and you can be screwed for life. Who can afford college? You need the financial aid. It's like when you're down, the govn't wants to kick you even harder. Even a pot conviction could lead to you losing your federal aid. You would think the govn't would want people to be educated and make enough money to support themselves instead of the possibility of needing govn't assistance. (i'm not saying that non degree holding people need govn't assistance) Not only would you have to pay back your existing student loans, but you wouldn't have a degree to make better money to be able to pay for them. (and the pay back is expensive!) Sounds messed up to me. I hope 1184 passes!