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started.
• I enrolled at South Dakota State University, and because of the availability of online classes, I was able to complete my Bachelor's degree, even while running for Congress and serving my first term in Washington, D.C.
• I know firsthand that sometimes life doesn't allow you to sit in a classroom and take classes the traditional way. This is why I recently hosted an E-Learning roundtable in Sioux Falls with local universities to find out ways the federal government can improve affordability and access to higher education.
• A lot of the discussion focused on a regulation issued by the Department of Education which forces states to follow federal requirements when deciding whether to grant an institution, including institutions that offer online education programs, permission to operate within their state. I voted to repeal this burdensome regulation last Congress and will continue to work to give students access to classes, regardless of what state classes may be offered.
• Education has changed drastically since most members of Congress were in school, which is why I formed the Congressional E-Learning Caucus with Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO). As Congress prepares to consider the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act this Congress, I look forward to sharing the feedback I received from students and administrators during my E-Learning roundtable with my colleagues.
• If you have taken an online class or have an experience with distance education that you would like to share, I would encourage you to send me an email through my website at http://noem.house.gov.