U-S Senator Al Franken is behind a bill aiming to lower college tuition costs. He says in the next couple weeks “we’re going to have thousands of Minnesota students graduating from college and when they get their degrees, they’ll be stuck with, on average, more than $30,000 in student debt in Minnesota.” Franken’s “College Access Act” creates a grant program with incentives for colleges who award more need-based aid to lower costs for low-income students. And it increases the number of Pell Grant-eligible students. It also calls for lower text book costs and standardized financial aid award letters that make it easier for students and their families to compare offers from different colleges.