Wyden legislation would establish program to support college students’ basic needs
WASHINGTON (KTVZ) -- Senator Ron Wyden said Thursday he is cosponsoring legislation that would help ensure college students in Oregon and nationwide can meet their basic needs while pursuing their education.
The Basic Assistance for Students in College (BASIC) Act aims to combat the basic needs crisis by allocating funding to help students access nutritious food, safe and secure housing, mental and physical health care, high-quality and affordable child care, technology, transportation, personal hygiene, and other necessities. The bill also directs the federal government to streamline data sharing across agencies to help qualifying students access aid.
“Way too often, young people are forced to make the impossible choice of affording their basic needs or pursuing their educational dreams,” Wyden said. “No student should ever have to question if they’ll have a roof over their heads, food to eat, and the ability to go to the doctor when they need to. This legislation is a big step towards addressing that struggle by providing grant money and resources so they can stay in school and have what they need to thrive.”
A 2024 Government Accountability Office report found that in 2020, nearly 3.8 million college students faced food insecurity, and almost 60 percent of those likely eligible were not receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
The introduction comes as House Republicans push to cut funding for essential health and education programs. Among the targeted areas is the U.S. Department of Education’s Basic Needs for Postsecondary Students Program, a crucial part of the BASIC Act. This legislation is designed to provide students with the support they need, ensuring their basic needs are met while pursuing higher education. Without this critical funding, many students could face additional barriers to completing their degrees and achieving economic mobility.
Senators Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are leading the bill in the Senate. Along with Wyden, the BASIC Act is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai’i, Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
Representative Norma J. Torres, D-Calif., led the introduction of the BASIC Act in the House.
The legislation is endorsed by the American Council on Education, California Community Colleges, Communities for Our Colleges, Complete College America, the Community Food Bank of San Benito County, Excelencia in Education, Food for People, Generation Hope, Hunger Free America Inc., Institute of Higher Education Policy, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, Michelson Center for Public Policy, National College Attainment Network, New America, Higher Education Policy Program, Nourish California, Ohio Association of Foodbanks, One Family, SchoolHouse Connection, Swipe Out Hunger, Today’s Students Coalition, the California State University, University of California, University of California Student Association, and Waukegan to College.
The text of the bill is here.
