Warren Renewing Calls for Affordable Higher Education

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is renewing calls for sweeping changes she says will make the country's higher education system more affordable and accountable.

The Massachusetts Democrat said Republicans need to acknowledge the country will never have affordable college without investing more resources and Democrats must acknowledge affordability won't be a reality without real accountability.

In a speech Wednesday, Warren hit on familiar themes such as requiring colleges to spend a minimum proportion of federal financial aid revenues directly on education and encouraging states to help ease the financial burden on students by helping them refinance public and private student loans.

Warren said the federal government also needs to simplify the application process for federal aid.

She said in Massachusetts, nearly 30 percent of college-bound students don't even bother to fill out financial aid forms.