The federal role in postsecondary education since 1787 is traced. Attention is directed to the types of indirect federal support toward postsecondary education until the first Higher Education Act of 1965, and the kinds of national priorities served by the current federal role in postsecondary education. Future projections and the implications of selecting various types of direct and indirect support roles are also addressed. Although the federal role in postsecondary education has changed since 1787, it still has certain characteristics: the federal role is supplemental to the state role, and federal policy is concerned with support of education in order to meet national priorities. Historically the federal role has been: to provide for the sale of public lands for educational purposes; the support of agricultural training and research; support of military personnel to meet the needs of national security; to maintain enrollments, particularly in certain fields to meet national security needs; to support research in the national interest; and to provide equal educational opportunity. The current debate about the federal role concerns the amount of support to individuals, the responsibility of the states for support, and the responsibilities of parents. (SW)