April 2, 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2177 IMPROVING PROCEDURES FOR THE Udall Warner Whitehouse the wage gap grows, and it is far past CONSIDERATION OF NOMINA- Van Hollen Warren Wyden time we close the loopholes in the TIONS IN THE SENATE—MOTION NOT VOTING—1 Equal Pay Act and give women the TO PROCEED—Continued Harris tools and the protections they need to be sure they are being paid fairly. CLOTURE MOTION The PRESIDING OFFICER. On this This should not be a partisan issue. vote, the yeas are 51 and the nays are The PRESIDING OFFICER. Pursuant The Equal Pay Act was passed with bi- 48. to rule XXII, the Chair lays before the partisan support. The Paycheck Fair- Three-fifths of the Senators duly cho- Senate the pending cloture motion, ness Act passed the House last week sen and sworn not having voted in the which the clerk will state. with Republican support. Women affirmative, the motion is not agreed The senior assistant legislative clerk across the country, regardless of their to. read as follows: skin color, where they live, or whether The majority leader. CLOTURE MOTION they are Republican or Democratic, de- Mr. MCCONNELL. Madam President, We, the undersigned Senators, in accord- serve to be paid the same as their male ance with the provisions of rule XXII of the I enter a motion to reconsider the vote. colleagues doing the same work. Standing Rules of the Senate, do hereby The PRESIDING OFFICER. The mo- I hope my colleagues across the aisle move to bring to a close debate on the mo- tion is entered. will join us today in supporting this tion to proceed to Calendar No. 24, S. Res. 50, The Senator from Washington. critical legislation. Our economy can a resolution improving procedures for the UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—H.R. 7 only succeed if women can succeed. consideration of nominations in the Senate. Mitch McConnell, Roy Blunt, Mike Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I Madam President, I ask unanimous Crapo, Richard C. Shelby, Johnny Isak- come to the floor today not in celebra- consent that the Senate proceed to the son, Lamar Alexander, Pat Roberts, tion but in frustration to once again immediate consideration of H.R. 7, Ron Johnson, John Barrasso, Steve mark Equal Pay Day. It has now been which is at the desk; that the bill be Daines, John Hoeven, John Thune, 50 years since Congress passed the read a third time and passed; and that Mike Rounds, John Boozman, Shelley Equal Pay Act. It is a bipartisan law the motion to reconsider be considered Moore Capito, Tom Cotton, David signed by President Kennedy and in- made and laid upon the table with no Perdue. tended to ensure equal pay for equal intervening action or debate. The PRESIDING OFFICER. By unan- work. While this was a strong step in The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there imous consent, the mandatory quorum the right direction, the sad reality is objection? call has been waived. that today the gender wage gap still The Senator from Tennessee. The question is, Is it the sense of the very much exists. Mr. ALEXANDER. Madam President, Senate that debate on the motion to Today women, on average, make 80 the distinguished Senator from Wash- proceed to S. Res. 50, a resolution im- cents for every dollar a White man ington and I often agree on issues, and proving procedures for the consider- makes, meaning the average woman for the most part we agree on this. We ation of nominations in the Senate, has to work up until today to earn agree that equal pay for equal work is shall be brought to a close? what her male colleagues made in 2018. the right thing to do. What I would add The yeas and nays are mandatory For women of color, the pay gap is is that equal pay for equal work is al- under the rule. even worse. African-American women ready the law. The clerk will call the roll. working full time only make 61 cents Paycheck discrimination on the basis The senior assistant legislative clerk for every dollar a White man makes, of gender is wrong. It is already illegal called the roll. meaning they have to work until Au- in the United States. Congress prohib- Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the gust to earn what a White man made in ited discrimination based on gender in Senator from California (Ms. HARRIS) is 2018. American Indians make only 58 the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII necessarily absent. cents for every dollar, meaning they of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Equal Pay Act is very clear: ‘‘No The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there have to work until September to catch employer . . . shall discriminate . . . any other Senators in the Chamber de- up with their White male colleagues. between employees on the basis of sex siring to vote? Latinas, on average, are paid 53 cents by paying wages to employees . . . less The yeas and nays resulted—yeas 51, for every dollar their White male col- than . . . he pays . . . employees of the nays 48, as follows: leagues make. They will have to work opposite sex . . . for equal work . . . [Rollcall Vote No. 57 Leg.] until November—almost a full year—to which requires equal skill, effort, and earn what White men made last year. YEAS—51 responsibility, and which are per- The wage gap also hurts mothers Alexander Ernst Perdue formed under similar working condi- Barrasso Fischer Portman who, on average, only make 71 cents to Blackburn Gardner Risch tions. . . . ’’ every dollar fathers earn. The gender Equal pay for equal work. That al- Blunt Graham Roberts pay gap starts when women are enter- Boozman Grassley Romney ready is the law; therefore, it is unnec- Braun Hawley Rounds ing the workforce, and it widens essary to have yet another law saying Burr Hoeven Rubio throughout their careers. Pay inequity basically the same thing. I object. Capito Hyde-Smith Sasse will cost the typical woman more than Cassidy Inhofe Scott (FL) The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- Collins Isakson Scott (SC) $400,000 over the course of a 40-year ca- tion is heard. Cornyn Johnson Shelby reer. Sadly, by the way, that number The Senator from Washington. Cotton Kennedy Sullivan tops $1 million for Latina women, Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, let Cramer Lankford Thune Crapo McSally Tillis meaning women have to work longer me just respond by saying the Pay- Cruz Moran Toomey and still have less to save for retire- check Fairness Act that we are asking Daines Murkowski Wicker ment. to go today and have been denied the Enzi Paul Young The gender wage gap doesn’t just opportunity to do so makes very im- NAYS—48 hurt women; it hurts families, commu- portant updates to the Equal Pay Act. Baldwin Hassan Murray nities, and the economy. Women are It reaffirms that every worker in Bennet Heinrich Peters the primary or sole breadwinner in America has the right to receive equal Blumenthal Hirono Reed more than 40 percent of American fam- Booker Jones pay for equal work. It protects women Rosen ilies, meaning families have less money Brown Kaine Sanders from retaliation for talking about sal- Cantwell King Schatz to pay for groceries, childcare, support ary information with coworkers. It al- Cardin Klobuchar Schumer businesses in their communities, and lows women to join together in class Carper Leahy Shaheen Casey Lee stay financially secure and inde- action lawsuits, and, importantly, it Sinema Coons Manchin pendent. prohibits employers from seeking sal- Smith Cortez Masto Markey Stabenow That is why it is so important that ary history so the cycle of pay dis- Duckworth McConnell we pass the Paycheck Fairness Act Durbin Menendez Tester crimination cannot continue. Feinstein Merkley today—not tomorrow, not next year. This bill has the support of Repub- Gillibrand Murphy We need to pass this now. Every year licans and Democrats and millions of

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:33 Apr 03, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G02AP6.021 S02APPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S2178 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 2, 2019 workers in this country, and I really their families, and protecting our econ- are paid an average of 83 cents for hope this Senate can reconsider and omy as a whole. One of the best ways every dollar a man with a similar dis- bring this important piece of legisla- we can actually solve this problem is ability makes at a full-time job, and tion up that has passed the House. by finally passing this law. It is com- transgender women can expect their I thank my colleagues who are out mon sense. It guarantees equal pay for average yearly earnings to fall by al- here today supporting this effort. equal work once and for all. most one-third after their transitions. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- The good news is we already have a In 2019, this is still the reality for ator from New York. bill, and it is ready to go right now. It American women. These women are Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Madam Presi- is even bipartisan. It is called the Pay- often the sole breadwinners for their dent, I want to associate myself with check Fairness Act. It has already families. the comments of the Senator from passed the House, and the only thing This type of systemic discrimination Washington. She is exactly right. stopping it right now is the Senate. has no place in our country. It is hav- We are rising today to speak about a This bill would ban retaliation against ing a negative economic impact on very disturbing annual milestone that workers who discuss their wages. It families. As long as the wage gap ex- we are once again marking today. would give the Department of Labor ists, women face unfair barriers to suc- Today is known as Equal Pay Day, and the tools needed to enforce equal pay cess and have to fight hard for eco- here is what it means. around this country. nomic security for themselves and The average woman has to work 15 Although the Senator claims we al- their families. months just to get paid what the aver- ready have laws, they are not working. Full-time working mothers trying to age man earns in 1 year alone. The rea- So we need better enforcement. It provide for their families are paid, on son today is Equal Pay Day is that it is would prohibit employers from relying average, $16,000 less per year than fa- today in the new year when the aver- on a salary history of prospective em- thers. That threatens their ability to age woman finally gets paid what the ployees when they are deciding how put food on the table or save for their average man earned the year before. If much to pay them. children’s education. Older women are you are a woman of color, on average, This bill would help end wage dis- likely to have to work longer—by an you have to work even longer just to crimination. It would actually make average of 10 years—than their male get paid what the average man earns in our families, our country, and our counterparts to make up their lifetime 1 year. economy stronger. Don’t you want wage gaps and earn enough for a secure It is outrageous that we still don’t that, Madam President? retirement. Young women just enter- actually have equal pay for equal work So what are we waiting for? Congress ing the workforce can expect to see in this country, and it is the year 2019. needs to step up right now. We need their wage gap grow, not shrink, over It is shameful that women all across equal pay for equal work. the course of their careers. this country are being underpaid for I yield the floor. All of these factors hurt Nevada the hard work they are doing every I suggest the absence of a quorum. women, Nevada families, and our coun- day. It is disgraceful that the gender The PRESIDING OFFICER. The try. It undercuts American women’s wage gap is as wide as it is. This is hap- clerk will call the roll. ability to get ahead, provide for their pening in a moment in our Nation’s The senior assistant legislative clerk families, and save for retirement. In history when women, more than ever proceeded to call the roll. Nevada alone, women who are em- before, are working outside the home, Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam Presi- ployed full time lose a combined total when many women are the actual pri- dent, I ask unanimous consent that the of nearly $5 billion each year due to the mary breadwinner or the sole bread- order for the quorum call be rescinded. wage gap. winner for their family. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without It is past time American women earn This is an alarming, glaring reminder objection, it is so ordered. equal pay for equal work. Women in of how badly our economy is failing so UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST—S. RES. 137 our country will no longer accept being many workers and their families all Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam Presi- held back. As a Nevada Latina, it is my over the country. Above all else, it is a dent, I rise today, along with my col- responsibility to use my seat at the reminder to all of us that as a country, leagues, to bring attention to an issue table to ensure that future generations we are still struggling to value women. that I think is important for all of us of women are able to have the support We are still struggling to protect women. Today, we are 4 months—92 they need to succeed so that their fam- women from wage discrimination, days, to be exact—into the new year. ilies can thrive. It is time women re- pregnancy discrimination, workplace Today is the day that American women ceive the same paycheck as a man for harassment, and unfair minimum catch up in earnings to what their doing the same job. wage; that we are still struggling to male counterparts made last year. In I am fighting alongside a longtime ensure that women and their families 2019—almost 100 years after women leader for women in Congress, Senator have access to paid leave, affordable won the right to vote and 56 years after MURRAY, as well as my Senate Demo- daycare. All of these things add to the the passage of the Equal Pay Act—it cratic colleagues, to pass the Paycheck gender wage gap and make it even still takes women 15 months to earn Fairness Act and provide women with worse. what a man makes in 12. That is the the opportunities and resources they If a woman isn’t getting paid a fair significance of today, Equal Pay Day. need to succeed. I look forward to the wage, the way she actually deserves, Women make up half of the U.S. day when equal pay for equal work is a the wage she earned by putting in the workforce. We are small business own- reality for every woman in Nevada and hours of hard work, then that hurts ers, entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, across this country. her, her family, her children. It hurts and community leaders. Yet women in America’s women are leading the our entire U.S. economy. It weakens the United States still make an aver- economy of the future. They are build- the middle class. It is bad for our coun- age of 80 cents for every dollar earned ing the infrastructure that fuels com- try. by a man. For women of color, women merce, developing the scientific break- There is no excuse for any of this. It with disabilities, and transgender throughs that improve our way of life, is something all of us should be think- women, the gap is even more jarring. and driving political change. America’s ing about what we can do to correct, Black women earn an average of 61 women are heading America’s compa- using our power to correct, because the cents on the dollar, Native American nies, and we need more. That starts fact that we still don’t have equal pay women earn 57 cents, and Latinas earn with ensuring equal pay for equal for equal work in this country is an 53 cents for every dollar the average work. Until we pass the Paycheck Fair- embarrassment. White man makes. This means that ness Act, I will continue to fight for We need equal pay for equal work, Latinas, who face the highest pay gap women and their families, to level the and we need it now. In this Chamber, in the country, must keep working playing field for them, because nothing we have a responsibility to make sure until November 20 this year in order to less than their future is at stake. our workplace policies and our laws are earn what their White male colleagues Thank you. actually protecting women, protecting made in 2018. Women with disabilities I yield the floor.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:33 Apr 03, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G02AP6.025 S02APPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE April 2, 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2179 The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mrs. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- The Senator from Utah. BLACKBURN). The Senator from Utah. ator from Oregon. Mr. LEE. Madam President, this isn’t FREE TRADE AGREEMENT Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, I complicated. All we are trying to do Mr. LEE. Madam President, as the would like to raise a few key points on here is to say that the United States deadline for Britain’s withdrawal from this whole matter. has and probably should have without the European Union fast approaches, First, this is a question of inter- interruption an ongoing, special, vi- there is an enormous opportunity be- national trade, which is a subject that tally important trade relationship with fore us—an opportunity for free trade has been handled by the Senate Fi- the United Kingdom and that the with the United Kingdom. Such an nance Committee for literally decades. President and the Congress of the agreement would provide tremendous The full committee has not been con- United States should work toward an economic and trade benefits to both sulted on this resolution. It is less than agreement to that end. nations and would strengthen and pre- a week old, which, in my view, has not That isn’t rocket science. It is not serve our special relationship. given Senators an adequate amount of complicated. It is not even in itself a As this deadline approaches, the time to consider it. Suffice it to say, framework for a specific statute or for United States should stand ready and the prospect of reshaping the American a specific trade bill. It is laying out a willing to negotiate a free-trade agree- economy with sweeping trade deals is very broad principle—one that I would ment with Britain, which is the pur- not something that ought to just rock- hope every one of us would accept and pose of the resolution before us today. et past the committee of jurisdiction. would embrace. This resolution simply declares that it Second, with respect to the substance We have to remember that one of the is the sense of the Senate that, one, the of the request, I simply do not believe reasons we are a country, one of the United States has and should have a it is the role of the United States to reasons we don’t fly the Union Jack or close and special relationship—one give aid and comfort to the UK’s na- sing ‘‘God Save the Queen,’’ one of the that is mutually beneficial as a trade tionalist right while it inflicts irrep- reasons we declared independence near- partnership and otherwise—with the arable harm on the UK’s own economy ly two and a half centuries ago has a United Kingdom and that that rela- and citizens. lot to do with the fact that, as Ameri- tionship should continue without inter- Third, thinking kind of objectively cans, we understand that what we need ruption; and two, that the President, about the future, I don’t believe any- access to is not so much proximity to with the support of Congress, should body can pretend to know what the UK government, proximity to the Crown, lay the groundwork for a future trade and its relationship with Europe is as proximity to other people. It is how agreement with the UK. going to look like even in the near fu- human thriving occurs. It is how the Some of my colleagues have raised ture. The Senate simply cannot make human condition is able to be elevated. objections to it. Some have objected, promises about trade talks months or It is a free market system that has ele- for example, that this resolution didn’t years down the line when the May gov- vated more people out of poverty than go through the Senate Finance Com- ernment doesn’t even know what is any government program ever has, ever mittee. First, it is important to point coming down the pike in a matter of could, or ever will. out here that the vast majority of reso- days. Yes, what we need is access to mar- lutions expressing a sense of the Sen- Finally, there are serious issues that kets. That is part of what prompted ate normally don’t go through the need consideration with respect to our the American Revolution, the fact that committee process at all. Second, a trade relationship with the UK and Eu- our merchants, our manufacturers, and straightforward assertion of friendship, rope. That cannot happen if the de- our farmers were being excluded from of support, and of economic partner- bates play out in a slapdash process markets and were being discriminated ship with one of our oldest and closest here on the floor of this Senate. against by the Crown. We understood allies is not by its nature and should For example, European governments that would necessarily limit economic never be controversial. are in the process of implementing a mobility within the country and was Others have claimed that the point of new copyright regime that provides an artificially holding us back. That is this measure is somehow to lambast easy way to chill free speech online why we became our own country. That the EU. This misses the point entirely, with bogus copyright claims. A number has a lot to do with why we declared which is simply to preserve a unique of European governments, including independence. and important alliance and promote the UK’s, have proposed new digital Over time, we have benefited sub- America’s economic interests. stantially from free markets, from free Others have said that by encouraging services taxes. Let me repeat that. A trade. We have seen the greatest econ- a free-trade agreement with Britain, number of these governments have pro- omy—in fact, the greatest civilization we would be ‘‘picking sides’’ or some- posed new digital services taxes. What how affirming Brexit. Significantly, they are attempting to do is loot the world has ever known—in the however, this resolution says precisely American technology companies with United States of America. That oc- nothing about whether Brexit should discriminatory taxes—slapping what is curred not because of a government; it or should not happen. That decision is essentially an extra tariff on American is not a result of who we are; it is a up to the British people. But it is up to firms. consequence of what we do, the deci- us to decide whether to stand with The UK would need to commit to sions we have made. A lot of those de- Britain—the nation that has been one abandoning these unfair policies, cisions have been based on free mar- of our greatest partners, not only in which, in my view, are serious barriers kets. trade but also in the fight for freedom, to trade, as a precondition of negotia- With respect to my distinguished col- peace, and prosperity throughout the tions in the future. Otherwise, if the league, my friend, the Senator from Or- world. We should stand with the UK Senate were to, in effect, make prom- egon—with respect to his suggestion and strengthen this special partnership ises on trade in the dark, we would risk that this is somehow weighing in on by supporting this resolution today. surrendering our negotiating positions the merits of a political cause that he Madam President, I ask unanimous on these key issues which I have out- might not like in another country, consent that the Senate proceed to the lined without getting anything in re- that is really not our business, and this consideration of S. Res. 137, submitted turn. resolution is completely agnostic on earlier today. I further ask that the For the life of me, I just can’t see the that point. This resolution doesn’t re- resolution be agreed to, the preamble case for undermining our American quire us to hold hands with Great Brit- be agreed to, and that the motions to businesses and American jobs for the ain. This resolution doesn’t require us reconsider be considered made and laid benefit of the UK’s nationalist right as to say that the United Kingdom can do upon the table with no intervening ac- they steer their own economy and no wrong. This is not a bill calling for tion or debate. international stature off a cliff. us to make America Great Britain The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there For those reasons, Madam President, again. No. This is here only to protect objection? I object. and promote free trade because free Mr. WYDEN. Reserving the right to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objec- trade makes us free. Free trade makes object. tion is heard. us prosperous. We should not walk

VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:33 Apr 03, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G02AP6.026 S02APPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with SENATE S2180 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 2, 2019 away from one of the greatest trade tounding ways and to an outrageous has limited students’ ability to seek partnerships we have on this planet. degree. We need to do more to address legal action if they have been de- Thank you. and to stop these predatory practices. frauded. UNANIMOUS CONSENT AGREEMENT That is why I was pleased and honored These are just some of the vital steps Mr. LEE. Madam President, I ask to join with Senator DURBIN last week the PROTECT Students Act would unanimous consent the Senate recess to introduce the Preventing Risky Op- take. This bill would be a strong step from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. today. erations from Threatening the Edu- forward for both students—including The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without cation and Career Trajectories of Stu- veterans and servicemembers—and tax- objection, it is so ordered. dents Act of 2019, otherwise known as payers. the PROTECT Students Act. We are at a time when the Depart- f This legislation would implement a ment of Education, led by Secretary RECESS number of commonsense protections to Betsy DeVos, is doing everything in its hold predatory institutions, including power to undermine protections for The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under students on these issues. Secretary the previous order, the Senate stands for-profit schools, accountable when they engage in unfair, deceptive, and DeVos has done a disservice to stu- in recess until 5:30 p.m. dents by hiring into the Department Thereupon, the Senate, at 4:30 p.m., other fraudulent practices. To start, the PROTECT Students Act officials who have close ties with com- recessed until 5:30 p.m. and reassem- would safeguard our veterans and serv- panies that have defrauded students. bled when called to order by the Pre- icemembers from predatory practices. They then, unsurprisingly, have sup- siding Officer (Mr. ROUNDS). It would close a loophole in existing ported her mission of rolling back stu- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- law that allows colleges to count GI dent protections in favor of predatory ator from New Hampshire. benefits as non-Federal dollars toward companies. Secretary DeVos has PROTECT STUDENTS ACT a required 10 percent of their revenues worked to gut key consumer protec- Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I rise that must be from a non-Federal tions and weakened relief for students today to join my colleague from Illi- source. This has led some predatory who were victims of fraud. This is un- nois, Senator DURBIN, to discuss the for-profit schools to deliberately and acceptable. By supporting the PRO- work we are doing to protect students aggressively recruit veterans and even TECT Students Act, Members of the and taxpayers from predatory higher provide false information to them re- Senate can send a message to Sec- education practices. I want to thank garding their programs, including the retary DeVos that we will not stand for Senator DURBIN for his incredible and expected level of student debt and what these actions. steadfast leadership on this issue. kinds of jobs would be available to the I want to take a moment to thank my friend and colleague, Senator DUR- All hard-working students deserve students once they graduate. By clos- BIN, for his consistent leadership on the opportunity to receive a quality ing that loophole through the PRO- this issue. For years, Senator DURBIN education that will prepare them to TECT Act, we can eliminate the incen- has been sounding the alarm about the compete in this 21st-century economy. tive for these schools to prey on vet- dangers of for-profit colleges, intro- Education is the cornerstone of ex- erans and prevent veterans from going ducing legislation, and taking to the panding opportunity, and it is vital into significant debt for a credential or Senate floor and bringing much needed that we ensure that more students degree of little practical or economic attention to this matter. It is time have access to quality, affordable high- value. that more of our colleagues listen to er education that will help them Next, this legislation would add a his calls to stop these predatory insti- thrive. new review process for for-profit insti- tutions from taking advantage of stu- Unfortunately, too often, hard-work- tutions that seek to convert to non- dents all across the country. ing students, including our veterans profit or public status—something they Senator DURBIN, thank you again for and servicemembers, are taken advan- have been doing as a strategy to escape tage of by predatory for-profit colleges. leading on this issue. I am thrilled that key accountability requirements. we have been able to work together to We have seen this issue time and again. Our bill would also take steps to en- Years ago, we witnessed the collapse introduce the PROTECT Students Act, sure that career education programs and I look forward to working with you of Corinthian Colleges, Inc., and ITT actually prepare students for good-pay- Tech. Recently, we saw the collapses of to pass this legislation as part of the ing jobs because if students invest reauthorization of the Higher Edu- Education Corporation of America, thousands of dollars in their education, Vatterott College, and Dream Center cation Act. they should be able to find a job that Thank you. Education Holdings. Students attended will help them pay back their loans. I yield the floor to my colleague from these institutions with the hope of fur- The PROTECT Students Act would Illinois. thering their education and building also codify the 2014 gainful employ- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- better lives for themselves and their ment regulation that helps prevent ate Democratic whip. families. students from enrolling in low-quality Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, let me In reality, though, these companies programs that charge more than what thank my colleague from New Hamp- were raking in billions of taxpayer a student can reasonably pay back shire for being my ally in showing real funds that enriched their executives after they graduate. This provision re- leadership on this issue. and investors, all while their students quires improvement by schools whose As a member of the HELP Com- were receiving subpar degrees at high students are found to have too much mittee, you will be sitting there in costs even though they were often re- debt compared to their earnings, and it those key hearings when we discuss the cruited with the promise of a good-pay- cuts off Federal financial aid for those reauthorization of higher education. ing job after graduation. This has left schools that don’t improve. The meas- That will be our opportunity to bring tens of thousands of student borrowers ure also has the obvious benefit of pre- in some of these reforms that make a with huge amounts of debt that they venting Federal taxpayer dollars from difference in terms of this industry of will never be able to repay, credits or being wasted on worthless programs. for-profit colleges and universities. I degrees of little value, and few job The PROTECT Students Act would thank you for that, and I join you in prospects. help student borrowers who have been this PROTECT Students Act, as I have Unscrupulous actions by for-profit cheated or defrauded by predatory in- come to the floor so many times to colleges have also widely impacted our stitutions, including for-profit col- talk about this sector. country’s veterans who bravely fought leges, by improving the process for bor- Most Americans don’t know what we in defense of our freedoms and then, in rowers to have their loans forgiven if mean by for-profit colleges and univer- turn, were taken advantage of by pred- the school they attend engages in sities. Who are they? Well, some of the atory, corrupt schools. fraud. familiar names are the University of Our current system has done little to This legislation would increase con- Phoenix, DeVry University and others stop these bad actors. Students and sumer protections by banning the prac- like it, which portray themselves as in- taxpayers have been exploited in as- tice of mandatory arbitration, which stitutes of higher education, and in

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