Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., said academia has "never been held in such low esteem as it is now," and called for reauthorization of the Higher Education Act in an interview published Thursday by Inside Higher Ed.
The Hill reported the Republican chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee told the outlet that Congress must reauthorize the 1965 law, which grants resources to universities and colleges and financial aid to students. It is due every five years for renewal, but was last renewed in 2008.
"The reason I think we can do it this year is because higher ed has never been held in such low esteem as it is now," Foxx told Inside Higher Ed. "In the past, we had members who were a little shy about doing it, because the presidents of their universities would come to them and say, 'No, no, no, you can't bother us,' and they would be intimidated by them. But I don't think that's going to be the case this year."
She said now is "exactly the right time" for reauthorization, after the pandemic magnified significant gaps in education policy.
Aside from the falling perceived value of a college degree, health and culture wars issues such as vaccination requirements and mask mandates have taken a toll on higher education. Progressive teaching of gender, sexuality, and race have also put Republicans on the defensive, as several governors have locked out so-called "diversity" initiatives.
Foxx said she doesn't see eye-to-eye with the Biden administration on education but is willing to work with the "far right" and "far left."
"There really should not be a penalty for people holding a different point of view than what some people hold," she said. "That's all about academic freedom, but we see that the left believes in academic freedom when it goes one way."
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