The U.S. House Education and Labor Committee has hosted the first in a planned series of five hearings to address the costs of higher education. Former Bush and Obama administration economic policy advisers, a university chancellor, and a current college student testified about a range of issues.  Topics included public and private loan programs and potential associated debt, access to employment and child care resources, and how populations such as veterans and homeless people are impacted by student loan debt.  The College Affordability Act would, among other things, dramatically expand PEL grants to a high of $625.  5th District Congresswoman Jahana Hayes says it also incentivize free community college and drive states to invest in their public institutions.  She notes that it also invests in educators by fixing a broken public student loan finance and teach grant system.  The measure also permanently funds Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other minority serving institutions and improves completion for underserved communities through more robust and more flexible wrap around student support services.