Delegate James Moylan’s bipartisan bill to guarantee in-state tuition for students from Guam and the U.S. territories has passed out of the House Education and Workforce Committee, moving a step closer to expanding affordable higher education options for island residents. The measure would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require federally funded public colleges and universities to charge territorial residents no more than in-state rates, addressing tuition costs that are often two to three times higher for out-of-state students.
Moylan said the bill aims to remove one of the largest financial barriers facing families who already contend with high living costs, limited degree options at home and the burden of relocating thousands of miles to pursue 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,” he said.
Committee Chairman Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan and delegates from the CNMI, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands expressed strong support, citing long-standing inequities in college access for territorial students. CNMI Congresswoman Kimberly King-Hinds said the measure would ease financial strain on working families, while American Samoa’s Aumua Amata Radewagen called it a needed fix to a “significant financial disadvantage.” Virgin Islands Delegate Stacey Plaskett said guaranteeing in-state rates is essential to reducing student debt and expanding opportunity.
If enacted, the legislation would open more pathways to four-year degrees and technical careers while strengthening local workforces across the territories. “This is about affordability and ensuring our youth have a real chance to succeed,” Moylan said.