January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H597 [Roll No. 30] Feeney LaTourette Renzi section (h) and paragraph (1) of this sub- Ferguson Lewis (CA) Reynolds section, with respect to any loan to an un- AYES—223 Flake Lewis (KY) Rogers (AL) dergraduate student made, insured, or guar- Abercrombie Green, Gene Murphy (CT) Forbes Linder Rogers (KY) anteed under this part (other than a loan Ackerman Grijalva Murphy, Patrick Fortenberry LoBiondo Rogers (MI) Fossella Lungren, Daniel made pursuant to section 428B, 428C, or 428H) Allen Gutierrez Murtha Rohrabacher for which the first disbursement is made on Altmire Hall (NY) Nadler Foxx E. Ros-Lehtinen or after July 1, 2006, and before January 1, Andrews Hare Napolitano Franks (AZ) Mack Roskam Frelinghuysen Manzullo Arcuri Harman Neal (MA) Royce 2012, the applicable rate of interest shall be Gallegly Marchant Baca Hastings (FL) Oberstar Ryan (WI) as follows: Garrett (NJ) McCarthy (CA) Baird Herseth Olver Sali ‘‘(A) For a loan for which the first dis- Gerlach McCaul (TX) Baldwin Higgins Ortiz Saxton bursement is made on or after July 1, 2006, Barrow Hill Pallone Gilchrest McCotter Gillmor McCrery Schmidt and before July 1, 2007, 6.80 percent on the Bean Hinchey Pascrell Gingrey McHenry Sensenbrenner unpaid principal balance of the loan. Becerra Hinojosa Pastor Gohmert McHugh Sessions ‘‘(B) For a loan for which the first dis- Berkley Hirono Payne Goode McKeon Shadegg bursement is made on or after July 1, 2007, Berman Hodes Perlmutter Goodlatte McMorris Shays Berry Holden Peterson (MN) and before July 1, 2008, 6.12 percent on the Granger Rodgers Shimkus Bishop (GA) Holt Pomeroy unpaid principal balance of the loan. Graves Mica Shuster Bishop (NY) Honda Price (NC) ‘‘(C) For a loan for which the first dis- Hall (TX) Miller (FL) Simpson Blumenauer Hooley Rahall bursement is made on or after July 1, 2008, Hastert Miller (MI) Smith (NE) Boswell Inslee Rangel Hastings (WA) Miller, Gary Smith (NJ) and before July 1, 2009, 5.44 percent on the Boucher Israel Reyes Hayes Moran (KS) Smith (TX) unpaid principal balance of the loan. Boyd (FL) Jackson (IL) Rodriguez Heller Murphy, Tim Souder ‘‘(D) For a loan for which the first dis- Boyda (KS) Jackson-Lee Ross Brady (PA) (TX) Hensarling Musgrave Stearns bursement is made on or after July 1, 2009, Rothman Herger Myrick and before July 1, 2010, 4.76 percent on the Braley (IA) Jefferson Roybal-Allard Tancredo Brown, Corrine Johnson (GA) Hobson Neugebauer Terry unpaid principal balance of the loan. Rush Hoekstra Nunes Butterfield Johnson, E. B. Ryan (OH) Thornberry ‘‘(E) For a loan for which the first dis- Capps Jones (OH) Hulshof Paul Tiahrt bursement is made on or after July 1, 2010, Salazar Hunter Pearce Capuano Kagen Sa´ nchez, Linda Tiberi and before July 1, 2011, 4.08 percent on the Cardoza Kanjorski Inglis (SC) Pence Turner T. Issa Peterson (PA) unpaid principal balance of the loan. Carnahan Kaptur Upton Sanchez, Loretta Jindal Petri ‘‘(F) For a loan for which the first dis- Carney Kennedy Schakowsky Walberg Carson Kildee Johnson (IL) Pickering bursement is made on or after July 1, 2011, Schiff Walden (OR) Castor Kilpatrick Jones (NC) Pitts and before January 1, 2012, 3.40 percent on Schwartz Walsh (NY) Chandler Kind Jordan Platts the unpaid principal balance of the loan.’’. Scott (GA) Wamp Clarke Klein (FL) Keller Poe Scott (VA) Weldon (FL) (2) SPECIAL ALLOWANCE CROSS REFERENCE.— Clay Kucinich King (NY) Porter Serrano Weller Section 438(b)(2)(I)(ii)(II) of such Act is Cleaver Lampson Kingston Price (GA) Sestak Westmoreland amended by striking ‘‘section 427A(l)(1)’’ and Clyburn Langevin Kirk Pryce (OH) Shea-Porter Wicker inserting ‘‘section 427A(l)(1) or (l)(4)’’. Cohen Lantos Kline (MN) Putnam Sherman Wilson (NM) (b) DIRECT LOAN INTEREST RATES.—Section Conyers Larsen (WA) Knollenberg Radanovich Shuler Cooper Larson (CT) Kuhl (NY) Ramstad Wilson (SC) 455(b)(7) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 Sires Costa Lee LaHood Regula Wolf (20 U.S.C. 1087e(b)(7)) is amended by adding Skelton Costello Levin Lamborn Rehberg Young (AK) at the end the following new subparagraph: Slaughter Courtney Lewis (GA) Latham Reichert Young (FL) ‘‘(D) REDUCED RATES FOR UNDERGRADUATE Smith (WA) Cramer Lipinski FDSL Snyder NOT VOTING—21 .—Notwithstanding the preceding para- Crowley Loebsack graphs of this subsection, for Federal Direct Solis Aderholt Cummings Ruppersberger Cuellar Lofgren, Zoe Stafford Loans made to undergraduate stu- Davis (AL) Lowey Space Bachmann Hoyer Sarbanes Davis (CA) Lynch Spratt Boren Johnson, Sam Sullivan dents for which the first disbursement is Davis (IL) Mahoney (FL) Stark Burton (IN) King (IA) Van Hollen made on or after July 1, 2006, and before Jan- Davis, Lincoln Maloney (NY) Stupak Buyer Lucas Whitfield uary 1, 2012, the applicable rate of interest DeFazio Markey Sutton Calvert Norwood Woolsey shall be as follows: DeGette Marshall Tanner Cole (OK) Obey Wynn ‘‘(i) For a loan for which the first disburse- Delahunt Matheson Tauscher Taylor b 1316 ment is made on or after July 1, 2006, and be- DeLauro Matsui fore July 1, 2007, 6.80 percent on the unpaid Dicks McCarthy (NY) Thompson (CA) So the resolution was agreed to. Dingell McCollum (MN) Thompson (MS) principal balance of the loan. Doggett McDermott Tierney The result of the vote was announced ‘‘(ii) For a loan for which the first dis- Donnelly McGovern Towns as above recorded. bursement is made on or after July 1, 2007, Doyle McIntyre Udall (CO) A motion to reconsider was laid on and before July 1, 2008, 6.12 percent on the Edwards McNerney Udall (NM) unpaid principal balance of the loan. ´ the table. Ellison McNulty Velazquez ‘‘(iii) For a loan for which the first dis- Visclosky Ellsworth Meehan f bursement is made on or after July 1, 2008, Emanuel Meek (FL) Walz (MN) Engel Meeks (NY) Wasserman COLLEGE STUDENT RELIEF ACT and before July 1, 2009, 5.44 percent on the Eshoo Melancon Schultz OF 2007 unpaid principal balance of the loan. Etheridge Michaud Waters ‘‘(iv) For a loan for which the first dis- Farr Millender- Watson Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. bursement is made on or after July 1, 2009, Fattah McDonald Watt Madam Speaker, pursuant to House and before July 1, 2010, 4.76 percent on the Filner Miller (NC) Waxman Resolution 65, I call up the bill (H.R. 5) unpaid principal balance of the loan. Frank (MA) Miller, George Weiner ‘‘(v) For a loan for which the first disburse- Giffords Mitchell Welch (VT) to amend the Higher Education Act of Gillibrand Mollohan Wexler 1965 to reduce interest rates for student ment is made on or after July 1, 2010, and be- Gonzalez Moore (KS) Wilson (OH) borrowers, and ask for its immediate fore July 1, 2011, 4.08 percent on the unpaid Gordon Moore (WI) Wu principal balance of the loan. Green, Al Moran (VA) Yarmuth consideration. ‘‘(vi) For a loan for which the first dis- The Clerk read the title of the bill. bursement is made on or after July 1, 2011, NOES—190 The text of the bill is as follows: and before January 1, 2012, 3.40 percent on Akin Brady (TX) Culberson H.R. 5 the unpaid principal balance of the loan.’’. Alexander Brown (SC) Davis (KY) Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- SEC. 3. REDUCTION OF LENDER INSURANCE PER- Bachus Brown-Waite, Davis, David CENTAGE. Baker Ginny Davis, Jo Ann resentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, (a) AMENDMENT.—Subparagraph (G) of sec- Barrett (SC) Buchanan Davis, Tom tion 428(b)(1) of the Higher Education Act of Bartlett (MD) Burgess Deal (GA) SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078(b)(1)(G)) is amended to Barton (TX) Camp (MI) Dent This Act may be cited as the ‘‘College Stu- Biggert Campbell (CA) Diaz-Balart, L. read as follows: Bilbray Cannon Diaz-Balart, M. dent Relief Act of 2007’’. ‘‘(G) insures 95 percent of the unpaid prin- Bilirakis Cantor Doolittle SEC. 2. INTEREST RATE REDUCTIONS. cipal of loans insured under the program, ex- Bishop (UT) Capito Drake (a) FFEL INTEREST RATES.— cept that— Blackburn Carter Dreier (1) Section 427A(l) of the Higher Education ‘‘(i) such program shall insure 100 percent Blunt Castle Duncan Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1077a(l)) is amended by of the unpaid principal of loans made with Boehner Chabot Ehlers Bonner Coble Emerson adding at the end the following new para- funds advanced pursuant to section 428(j) or Bono Conaway English (PA) graph: 439(q); and Boozman Crenshaw Everett ‘‘(4) REDUCED RATES FOR UNDERGRADUATE ‘‘(ii) notwithstanding the preceding provi- Boustany Cubin Fallin SUBSIDIZED LOANS.—Notwithstanding sub- sions of this subparagraph, such program

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:45 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A17JA7.017 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H598 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 shall insure 100 percent of the unpaid prin- the total principal amount of eligible loans hasn’t met, formed or adopted any cipal amount of exempt claims as defined in held by holders— rules? subsection (c)(1)(G);’’. ‘‘(I) rank all holders of eligible loans in de- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment scending order by total principal amount of was referred to a committee, and, made by subsection (a) shall take effect with eligible loans held; therefore, its committal to that com- respect to loans made on or after July 1, 2007. ‘‘(II) calculate the total principal amount of eligible loans held by all holders; and mittee would be a recommittal. SEC. 4. GUARANTEE AGENCY COLLECTION RE- Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Further in- TENTION. ‘‘(III) identify the subset of consecutively Clause (ii) of section 428(c)(6)(A) of the ranked holders under subclause (I), starting quiry. Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. with the lowest ranked holder, that together The SPEAKER pro tempore. Please 1078(c)(6)(A)(ii)) is amended to read as fol- hold a total principal amount of such loans state your inquiry. lows: equal to 10 percent of the total amount cal- Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Can the Chair ‘‘(ii) an amount equal to 24 percent of such culated under subclause (II), but excluding tell me whether or not the committee payments for use in accordance with section the holder, if any, whose holdings when reported the bill out? 422B, except that— added cause the total holdings of the subset The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill ‘‘(I) beginning October 1, 2003 and ending to both equal and then exceed such 10 per- has not been reported to the House. September 30, 2007, this subparagraph shall cent of such total amount calculated; and Mr. PRICE of Georgia. I thank the be applied by substituting ‘23 percent’ for ‘24 ‘‘(IV) designate as small lenders any holder Chair. percent’; identified as a member of the subset under The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- ‘‘(II) beginning October 1, 2007 and ending subclause (III).’’. ant to House Resolution 65, the gen- September 30, 2008, this subparagraph shall SEC. 7. INCREASED LOAN FEES FROM LENDERS. tleman from California (Mr. GEORGE be applied by substituting ‘20 percent’ for ‘24 Paragraph (2) of section 438(d) of the High- MILLER) and the gentleman from Cali- percent’; er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087– fornia (Mr. MCKEON) each will control ‘‘(III) beginning October 1, 2008 and ending 1(d)(2)) is amended to read as follows: 90 minutes. September 30, 2010, this subparagraph shall ‘‘(2) AMOUNT OF LOAN FEES.—The amount of be applied by substituting ‘18 percent’ for ‘24 the loan fee which shall be deducted under The Chair recognizes the gentleman percent’; and paragraph (1), but which may not be col- from California (Mr. GEORGE MILLER). ‘‘(IV) beginning October 1, 2010, this sub- lected from the borrower, shall be equal to— Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. paragraph shall be applied by substituting ‘‘(A) 0.50 percent of the principal amount of Madam Speaker, I yield myself such for ‘24 percent’ a percentage determined in the loan with respect to any loan under this time as I may consume. accordance with the regulations of the Sec- part for which the first disbursement was Madam Speaker, today we have an retary and equal to the average rate paid to made on or after October 1, 1993, and before opportunity to provide a great deal of collection agencies that have contracts with July 1, 2007; and assistance to those students who bor- the Secretary.’’. ‘‘(B) 1.0 percent of the principal amount of row from the subsidized student loan SEC. 5. ELIMINATION OF EXCEPTIONAL PER- the loan with respect to any loan under this program. I want to thank the Rules FORMER STATUS FOR LENDERS. part for which the first disbursement was Committee for providing for the pas- (a) ELIMINATION OF STATUS.—Part B of title made on or after July 1, 2007.’’. sage of the rule for the consideration of IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 SEC. 8. INTEREST PAYMENT REBATE FEE. U.S.C. 1071 et seq.) is amended by striking H.R. 5, the College Student Relief Act. Section 428C(f)(2) of the Higher Education Today, millions of students and their section 428I (20 U.S.C. 1078–9). Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078–2(f)(2)) is amend- (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Part B of ed— families all across America are strug- title IV of such Act is further amended— (1) by striking ‘‘SPECIAL RULE—’’ and in- gling to figure out how to pay for col- (1) in section 428(c)(1) (20 U.S.C. 1078(c)(1))— serting ‘‘SPECIAL RULES—(A)’’; and lege. They are making critical deci- (A) by striking subparagraph (D); and (2) by adding at the end the following new sions about whether college is in their (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) subparagraph: future, based on what they can afford through (H) as subparagraphs (D) through ‘‘(B) For consolidation loans based on ap- and how much debt they will be able to (G), respectively; and plications received on or after July 1, 2007, if reasonably take on. (2) in section 438(b)(5) (20 U.S.C. 1087– 90 percent or more of the total principal and We know that a college education is 1(b)(5)), by striking the matter following sub- accrued unpaid interest outstanding on the as important today as a high school di- paragraph (B). loans held, directly or indirectly, by any (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments ploma was a generation ago. Yet, since holder is comprised of principal and accrued the 2000–2001 academic years, tuition made by subsections (a) and (b) shall take ef- unpaid interest owed on consolidation loans, fect on July 1, 2007. the rebate described in paragraph (1) for such and fees at public colleges and univer- SEC. 6. REDUCTION OF LENDER SPECIAL ALLOW- holder shall be equal to 1.30 percent of the sities have soared by 41 percent, while ANCE PAYMENTS. principal plus accrued unpaid interest on those at the private universities have Section 438(b)(2)(I) of the Higher Education such loans.’’. increased by 17 percent. This is not a Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087–1(b)(2)(I)) is amend- problem that we can ignore. PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY ed by adding at the end the following new The College Student Relief Act helps clauses: Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam students and their families by cutting ‘‘(vi) REDUCTION FOR LOANS DISBURSED ON Speaker, parliamentary inquiry. interest rates for undergraduate sub- OR AFTER JULY 1, 2007.—With respect to a loan The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. sidized student loans in half, from 6.8 on which the applicable interest rate is de- DELAURO). The gentleman may state termined under section 427A(l) and for which percent to 3.4 percent, phased in over 5 his inquiry. years. Once this interest rate is fully the first disbursement of principal is made Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam on or after July 1, 2007, the special allowance phased in, a student with an average payment computed pursuant to this subpara- Speaker, under what rule are we con- loan debt of $13,800 will save approxi- graph shall be computed— sidering H.R. 5? mately $4,400 over the life of their loan. ‘‘(I) by substituting ‘2.24 percent’ for ‘2.34 The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under I am pleased to report that the Col- percent’ each place it appears in this sub- the resolution just adopted. lege Student Relief Act is fully paid paragraph; Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Further in- for, and complies with the House’s new, ‘‘(II) by substituting ‘1.64 percent’ for ‘1.74 quiry, Madam Speaker. strict PAYGO rules. Additionally, all percent’ in clause (ii); and The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- changes to both students and lenders ‘‘(III) by substituting ‘2.54 percent’ for ‘2.64 tleman will state it. percent’ each place it appears in clauses (iii) only apply to future loans. and (iv). Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Does the rule This legislation will give much-need- ‘‘(vii) SMALLER LENDER EXEMPTION.—Clause under which we are considering H.R. 5 ed relief to some 5.5 million students (vi) shall not apply to the calculation of the allow for an amendment to H.R. 5? who borrow subsidized loans each year. special allowance payment with respect to The SPEAKER pro tempore. Only by The majority of students helped by any 3-month period for any holder of eligible way of a motion to recommit. College Student Relief Act are low- and loans that, together with its affiliated hold- Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Further in- middle-income students with family in- ers, is designated by the Secretary as a small quiry, Madam Speaker. comes between $26,000 to $68,000. Half of lender. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- these students are eligible to receive ‘‘(viii) DESIGNATION OF SMALL LENDERS.—In determining which holders of eligible loans tleman may state his inquiry. Pell Grants, but many such students qualify for the exemption provided under Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Can the Chair find that Pell Grants alone are insuffi- clause (vii), the Secretary shall, using the explain how a motion to recommit will cient. Because of the failure to in- most recently available data with respect to be in order given that the committee crease the value of the Pell Grants over

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:45 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A17JA7.018 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H599 the last decade, the Pell Grant does not that, and we want to do whatever we Now what the Democrats talked cover the cost of education, and so can to reduce the burden of debt that about during the campaign of reducing those students who are eligible for Pell these students are taking on today in all student debt by half may have met Grants because of family income and unprecedented levels, the first genera- these requirements, but not what is ac- resources also find out they have to tion to be put in that situation. tually on the floor here today. The fact borrow. They borrow from this pro- I think this is a good beginning in is that a borrower cannot save nearly gram, so this program is an additional the first 100 hours to put this Congress this much because under H.R. 5, the savings, when we pass this legislation, on record not just as hoping to do bill we are discussing here today, the to those who are eligible for the Pell something for students, but in fact interest rate phases down from the cur- Grants. doing something for 5.5 million stu- rent 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent over a se- Providing debt relief to our students dents who will be eligible for the bene- ries of 5 years. The borrower, for them is the right thing to do. Current studies fits under this interest rate cut. to receive the complete $4,400 in sav- indicate that more students are bor- Madam Speaker, I reserve the bal- ings, the 3.4 percent interest rate must rowing more than ever. The debt level ance of my time. remain in effect the whole time and it of graduates from public universities Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I only is actually in effect the last 6 has skyrocketed by 58 percent in the yield myself such time as I may con- months, and they must consolidate past decade. The Pell Grant recipients sume. their debt at that time and stretch the and students with modest incomes are Madam Speaker, this is a well-inten- repayment out over the whole 15 years. likely to borrow more often and in tioned bill that I wish we had the However, Democratic leaders have greater amount than other students. chance to make better. Nonetheless, crafted the legislation to ensure that This is just the first step in helping without the opportunity for amend- the 3.4 percent rate stays in effect only students and their families with col- ments, I hope we can use these next 3 from July 1, 2011, through January 1, lege education. We plan to increase hours to analyze what H.R. 5 does and 2012, 6 months. On January 2, 2012, the Pell Grants later in the appropriation what it doesn’t do. interest rate returns back to the cur- process in the amount which has seri- Normally this is a task best reserved rent 6.8 percent making the $4,400 in ously fallen behind the cost of college, for regular order when you go through savings impossible to achieve. and we need to again take a look at the committee process and have a In reality, a college freshman in the making college tax credits and deduc- chance to have hearings and have a fall of 2011, when the rate is at 3.4 per- tions simpler to use and more robust. chance to hear experts on the subject. cent, would end up saving $6.42 a That is what this Congress is com- We are forgoing that today because we month. That’s right, $6.42 once he or mitted to doing in the future when we are in this 100 hours of nondemocratic she begins repaying their student loan. are done with these six bills in the first rule, and that is a result of the elec- More broadly, H.R. 5 falls woefully 100 hours. tion. You won the majority, you use short in dealing with what I consider I also believe that colleges and uni- that majority the way you see fit; but the twin priorities for addressing the versities should play their part in ad- I think that is unfortunate for America college cost crisis. That is, expanding dressing affordability by becoming today. access, which should be the Federal more diligent about cutting expenses Since we have bypassed that process, role in higher education, and enhanc- and more transparent about college I would like to spend some time doing ing affordability. Those are two very costs. We hope to address this in the so right here today. First, let me un- important items. 110th Congress when we reauthorize the derscore once again the fact that this First, on access, as I said, by defini- Higher Education Act. bill has never been considered in com- tion this legislation cannot expand col- We cannot ignore the fact that stu- mittee. It includes some changes im- lege access because at its core it is not dents and families are drowning in debt pacting the student loan industry that a student aid bill. Would it reduce pay- in such a way that many of them have have never been tried before and, worse ments for a limited number of college been forced to make difficult choices. yet, they have never even been dis- graduates who would see their interest Some choose just not to go to school, cussed in any meaningful way. Is that rate gradually drop over the next 5 they stop going to school or they defer bad policy? Well, maybe so. But is it ir- years? Yes. going to school, or they choose profes- responsible policy-making? Most defi- Would it bring a low- or middle-in- sions that will be more lucrative, in- nitely it is. come student any closer to the dream stead of public service professions such Next, I caution my colleagues not to of attending college? Unfortunately as teaching, social work, law enforce- characterize what is before us today as not. ment and other such professions be- a student aid bill. Ironically, the Col- Compare this to the record $90 billion cause they know the debt that they lege Student Relief Act wouldn’t im- we are investing this year, $90 billion will have to repay. pact a single college student. The way Federal investment this year, in stu- The debt issue and the agony families the loan program works, a student that dent aid programs. That is an amount feel when they think about being able wishes to borrow, and it is unfortunate, that has tripled over the last decade. to afford college for their children is I think, that we are even having to We have heard today in part of the all too familiar a story to many of us have that kind of discussion today; I rule debate about how over the last 12 who have been involved in this issue wish we were focusing on trying to years we have done nothing. We have for some time. keep the cost of education down so stu- tripled the amount of funding available I am pleased this bill has earned wide dents didn’t need to borrow a penny, for those who are going to higher edu- support in the education community but that is not going to be the debate. cation, under the Republican majority among students, with such groups as The way it works, a student borrows in Congress, I might add, and it is dif- U.S. PIRG and the United States Stu- the first year, the second year, the ficult to understand why our friends on dents Association, with colleges and third and fourth years if they so desire; the other side of the aisle act as if they universities across the country, includ- and then after they graduate from have a monopoly on the college access ing the National Association for Inde- school and have a 6-month respite pe- debate. pendent Colleges and Universities and riod, they begin to repay that loan. So the American Council on Education, this bill today addresses an interest b 1330 and with labor unions such as the rate that a college graduate will pay On impacting college affordability, American Federation of Teachers and back in the repayment period 6 months Madam Speaker, once again, this legis- the National Education Association. after they graduate from school when lation falls short, and I truly did not I urge my colleagues to support H.R. they are definitely no longer students. believe this would have to be the case. 5, the College Student Relief Act of I also caution my colleagues not to Consider this: On a 4-year public col- 2007, so we can tell middle- and low-in- buy into the talking point that H.R. 5 lege education the tuition has risen 35 come families that we want to invest would save a typical borrower about percent over the past 5 years. However, in a college education, we want to help $4,400 over the life of their loan because during the past decade, Federal aid for these families find a way to pay for it just simply isn’t true. students has increased 300 percent.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:45 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.048 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H600 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 Now, I ask my colleagues, if funding lies achieve the American Dream. Not On January 24 of 2002, Chairman alone was the solution to the college only is it a step in the right direction, GEORGE MILLER supported the 6.8 per- cost crisis, wouldn’t we have realized it but it is a step in a new direction. cent rate. He voted for the 6.8 percent by now? Of course we would have. And For years, the President and previous rate, and he said on this floor that we that is why institutional account- Congresses have passed billions of dol- should be commended for passing the ability is so important. It is at the lars of tax cuts for the wealthiest 6.8 percent rate. very heart of the college cost crisis. Americans instead of investing in the Last year, in March of 2006, when we Yesterday, I introduced legislation, potential of average Americans. The were passing the higher education bill the College Affordability and Trans- last Congress put college out of reach on the House floor, Chairman Miller parency Act, to help parents and stu- for many families by passing a $12 bil- said that he wanted to now cut the in- dents hold institutions more account- lion raid on student aid, the largest cut terest rates from 6.8 percent to 3.4 per- able for their role in the college cost in the history of the student aid pro- cent. It had a big price tag of $18 bil- crisis. I also submitted it, or tried to gram. lion. He didn’t offer any ways to pay submit it, as an amendment to the Madam Speaker, H.R. 5 will save the for it. Rules Committee, because I believed it average borrower who starts at a 4- Today, he comes before us with an- was a vehicle through which we could year college at Michigan next year other proposal to cut the rate from 6.8 have drastically improved the under- nearly $2,200 over the life of the loan, percent, down to 3.4 percent, phased in lying legislation. Unfortunately, how- and will save the same student who over a 5-year period, so you hit the 3.4 ever, the closed process has placed the starts in 2011 more than $4,200. percent in the final year only. This issue of affordability on the back burn- Madam Speaker, when we debate the price tag is smaller, at $6 billion. And er, and these proactive commonsense Federal budget around here, we talk to their credit, the Democrats have reforms will have to wait for another about budget authority and outlays come forward with a way to pay for it, day. and offsets, and other complicated ac- and that is mainly by taking money That is right, giving parents and stu- counting procedures. But, in the end, out of the student lenders’ pockets. dents more information, in an easy-to- what we really are talking about are The question before us is one of ac- use format, about college costs and not just numbers but real people in cess. What is the best way to expand outcomes? That will have to wait for every corner of this country, making college access? Should we help college another day. tough decisions about their lives. students on the front end afford to go Establishing a system of simply and One of the toughest questions these to school by increasing their Pell unmistakably comparing the cost in- days is whether they can afford to at- grants, or do we help college graduates creases of one institution against an- tend or stay in college, especially be- on the back end by phasing down their other? That will have to wait for an- cause a college education is more im- loan interest rates? other day. portant now than ever. These are real I think a better approach would have And asking colleges that increase people with names, not numbers, who been to take some of this $6 billion in their costs the most and most often to ask that question. They are people who savings and invest it in the Pell grant identify ways to bring tuition under live in your district. program. This is a program we Repub- control on behalf of parents and stu- Very simply, the reason I support licans have been pretty serious about dents? Well, that too will have to wait this bill, and the reason I ask my col- during my 6 years in Congress, and I for another day. leagues to join me, is because this bill would like to show you a chart reflect- What is most disappointing is that will help thousands of students to say ing that. many of these same reforms were yes to that question. This is the 20-year history of the Pell passed by the House last year and Madam Speaker, I reserve the bal- grant program. As you can see, in yel- Members on both sides of the aisle have ance of my time. low, this is the 10 years the Democrats backed exactly this type of approach. Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, at were in control of Congress. The red But to see them move forward from this time I yield such time as he may represents when the Republicans took here, we will just have to wait for an- consume to the gentleman from Flor- control of Congress. You see a steep in- other day. ida (Mr. KELLER), the ranking member crease. If they had adopted the pro- In countless ways, Madam Speaker, on the Higher Education Sub- posal we set forth, these charts would we can do better than H.R. 5. I just committee. be literally off the charts in terms of wish we had that opportunity. Because Mr. KELLER of Florida. I thank the such a dramatic increase in Pell although the bill before us, as well-in- chairman for yielding. grants. tentioned as it is, is just not what it Madam Speaker, I rise today as the Now, someone said earlier, well, we seems. It is not a student aid bill, it ranking member on the Higher Edu- haven’t done enough to increase Pell doesn’t expand student access, and it cation Subcommittee. I believe in grant funding during our time in the doesn’t enhance affordability of a col- higher Pell grants, lower interest majority over the past 6 years. Let us lege education. rates, and a leveling off of college tui- take a look at that claim. Overall, Pell In the weeks and months to come, I tion. I come to this belief through my grant funding from 2000 to today has hope we can work in a bipartisan way own life experiences. I grew up in rel- gone up 71 percent, from $7.6 billion to toward all of these things, and I look atively humble circumstances. My $13 billion a year. And we have in- forward to working with Chairman mom was a single parent who raised creased by 36 percent the number of MILLER, Chairman KILDEE, and Mem- three kids on the modest salary of a children eligible for Pell grants from bers on the other side of the aisle to secretary. If it wasn’t for Pell grants 3.9 million to 5.3 million. We have a ensure that this happens. and student loans, I wouldn’t have been pretty good record on Pell grants, one Madam Speaker, I reserve the bal- able to go to college and, ultimately, to be proud of. ance of my time. law school. I believe every child, rich If they had taken the $6 billion and The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without or poor, deserves the chance to go to invested it in the Pell grant program, objection, the gentleman from Michi- college. what a dramatic difference it would gan (Mr. KILDEE) controls the time for Let us turn to student loans and how make when you consider the Pell grant the majority. that impacts that. When I graduated program along with the Pell-eligible There was no objection. from college in 1986, the student loan programs of competitiveness grants Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield interest rate I had on my loans was 9.5 and SMART grants. myself such time as I may consume. percent. In 2002, during my first term This is the difference: First-year stu- Madam Speaker, I rise in strong sup- here in Congress, we decided to do dents would get up to $5,300 a year; sec- port of the College Student Relief Act. something about that and we joined to- ond-year students would get up to By making college more affordable for gether, Republicans, Democrats, and $5,850; third-year students would get 5.5 million students each year, this bill student groups, and approved legisla- $8,050; and fourth-year students, up to is a big step in the right direction of tion in January of 2002 fixing the stu- $8,050. We made this proposal, went be- helping low- and middle-income fami- dent loan interest rate at 6.8 percent. fore the Rules Committee, and it was a

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:57 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.050 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H601 closed rule. They didn’t want to hear And then we are going to move on and towards helping current and future stu- anything about it. deal with increasing the Pell, some- dents. We also had some ideas about the thing the President promised to do 6 We have all heard the statistics, and skyrocketing cost of tuition. It has years ago and has never been done. frankly we all deserve to hear them gone up 35 percent in the past 5 years Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I again. According to the College Board, at public colleges. We had some pretty yield myself such time as I may con- the cost of attending a private college good ideas to help, mainly Chairman sume just to correct the record a little has soared by 52 percent, adjusted for MCKEON, now Ranking Member bit. inflation, since the 1991–92 academic MCKEON’s, bill. He went before the Last year, when we did the reauthor- year. Public colleges have increased Rules Committee. Closed rule. Didn’t ization of the Higher Education Act, costs by a whopping 86 percent in the want to hear about it. we dealt with over 100 amendments, same time span. In conjunction with Now, what did Chairman MILLER and both Democrat and Republican, these statistics, we don’t often taught others say about this problem with not through the committee process that we the fact that since 2001 under a Repub- investing enough in Pell grants and the have forgone today. And when we did lican Congress, direct student aid has skyrocketing costs of tuition? We will take that money last year in the Def- increased from $9.6 billion to $48 bil- come back to those issues. We will deal icit Reduction Act, we put over $9 bil- lion. During the same period, the num- with that a later day. lion back into students. ber of students receiving such aid Now, here is the problem. Whatever What we did with that money for stu- soared by nearly one-third, from 7.6 we do on a later day with Pell grants dents, and these are students in school, million to 10.1 million. Yet we are still will be $6 billion less than it could have we took the 4 percent loan fees that in a predicament of students needing been because this $6 billion is gone. It were being charged to many students help. We must begin to look seriously is gone, based on this approach here. and cut all loan fees to 1 percent. For and holistically at this issue. There is In summary, by ignoring our ideas the average borrower, that is, for stu- neither a simple solution nor one enti- about increasing Pell grants and ad- dents in school, it gave them a savings ty responsible. dressing the rising tuition costs, the of $525. First, it is my belief that one of the Democrats have managed to hit a sin- One of the problems we find is that best things we can do is raise aware- gle for themselves when they could students in their first and second years ness, and to force transparency in the have hit a home run for America’s col- tend to drop out of school because they process. Legislation offered by the gen- lege students. do not have enough money. So we gave tleman from California (Mr. MCKEON), Education should not be a partisan them more of a chance to have their which I support, seeks to provide par- issue. No one party has all the answers. loans up front, and we increased those ents and students the information that Today, I will show a little bit of good loan limits by $1,000 per year, from they deserve as consumers. They de- faith and vote ‘‘yes’’ on this bill. To- $3,500 to $4,500 for first- and second- serve the opportunity to understand morrow, I hope the Democrats will year students. why tuition is increasing at their uni- show a little bit of good faith by listen- And we did some other things: High- versities. As educated consumers, it is ing to what people like me have to say achieving, low-income students in the my hope that they will in turn have about Pell grants and the skyrocketing first and second years are able to ob- the power to demand more, to demand costs of tuition. tain additional grant aid. High-achiev- answers, and ultimately drive down Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield ing, low-income students that major in cost. Understanding that there are 1 minute to the chairman of the com- math, science or certain foreign lan- many moving parts to a solution, mittee, the gentleman from California guages are eligible to obtain an addi- transparency is a good first step in the (Mr. GEORGE MILLER). tional $4,000 in grant aid for their third right direction. Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. and fourth years of college, and on and Second, we all must be part of the so- Madam Speaker, I thank the gen- on. We put $9 billion of that back di- lution. The U.S. Secretary of Edu- tleman for yielding, and I appreciate rectly into student and student aid. cation, Margaret Spellings, and the the presentation of my colleagues on Madam Speaker, I now yield to an- Commission on the Future of Higher the other side; their sort of would have, other ranking member of the com- Education have helped to bring the could have, should have. mittee, the gentleman from Delaware issue of access and affordability to the But the fact of the matter is, last (Mr. CASTLE), such time as he may con- forefront. They too have identified year, when they had the Higher Edu- sume. areas in which they may implement so- cation Act in front of them, the only lutions, such as simplifying the Free thing they did was take $16 billion out b 1345 Application for Federal Student Aid. of the student aid accounts and give it Mr. CASTLE. I thank the distin- Everyone is clearly beginning to recog- to pay for tax cuts to the wealthiest guished gentleman from California for nize how they can alleviate this di- people in this country. They didn’t yielding. lemma. think about the Pell grantees at that Unfortunately, one concern that con- Third, the institutions must accept time. They talked about them, but tinues to arise, and has done so since I some of the responsibility. There are they didn’t do anything for the Pell came to Congress, is the continuously some fabulous colleges and universities grantees. They didn’t do anything to rising cost of a college education. Tui- out there making it happen for a frac- lower the student loans here. tion increases are outpacing the rate of tion of what they could charge. For all They took $16 billion, and we begged inflation, increases in family income, of those, however, there are also plenty them, we went to the Rules Committee and even increases in State and finan- who are not being as efficient as they and we begged them to let us recycle cial aid which have grown tremen- should be. I believe that these institu- that money on behalf of the students dously in recent years. These cost in- tions need to take a long, hard look at on loans or Pell Grants or whatever. creases are pricing students and fami- every aspect of their budgets to iden- They said, no, this is going to the rich- lies out of the college market. In a tify savings from within. As high- est people in the country. And the fact time when we have reports suggesting lighted above, despite record increases of the matter is, the Rules Committee that today’s high school students rec- in student aid, tuition continued to in- was so generous that in the entire ognize more than ever the importance crease. Some have studied and argued higher education bill of last year, we of obtaining a college education, these that there is in fact a correlation. Fur- got one amendment. We got one students should not shy away because ther, it was maintained in today’s Wall amendment. of skyrocketing costs. Street Journal that the increase in aid So I think the point is that on this While today’s bill does seek to help will permit colleges to raise their tui- day, here in the first 100 hours, we are graduates, it barely skims the surface tions in order to reap the benefit. With- going to take care of middle-and lower- of the true problem of how we can help out the aid, colleges and universities income students, 5 million of them who increase access and affordability. I will would be forced to be more careful. In need these resources; then we will support this effort but hope that this December, the New York Times re- move on to tax deductions for families. Congress will make substantive steps ported that based on the fact that some

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:45 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.051 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H602 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 equate price with equality, some insti- Grant is $4,050 per year. It is true that Chamber that was elected while still tutions raise their tuition for the sole the erstwhile majority spent more paying for student loans. In fact, my purpose of matching their rivals. In money on Pell Grants, but it is also wife and I could not have afforded our some instances they also raise their true that many, many more people undergraduate degrees and our grad- discounts and assistance, but the fact were eligible for Pell Grants and the uate degrees without the support of remains that they are artificially rais- value of the Pell Grant shrunk during grants and loans, and we were de- ing the price which unfortunately may the tenure of the erstwhile majority. lighted when we were able to pay the scare many students away from even The new majority is keeping a promise loans back a few short years ago. applying. The reality is, Federal assist- to significantly reduce student loan While I support the underlying goal, ance does not give license to increase rates for students across this country. however, I need to raise concerns about tuition. We cannot continue to offer And we are keeping, in my view, a the manner in which we are attacking the solutions. Don’t be misled. I do more important promise, to pay for this issue and some of the substance of support Federal assistance but do ask keeping that promise by not adding to the issue. that colleges not take it for granted. the deficit. First, the process. This bill has not Today’s action must be coupled with Unlike the tax breaks for the been allowed to have committee hear- responsible governing and accounting wealthiest 1 percent of the people in ings. There has been no opportunity for by our institutions of higher learning. this country, this bill doesn’t add to amendments in committee, and cer- Fourth, I believe that Congress has a the deficit. Unlike the seemingly end- tainly no opportunity for amendments responsibility to spend efficiently and less misadventure in Iraq, this bill here on the floor. In fact, we have a effectively. While this proposal is well- doesn’t add to the deficit. Unlike the closed rule, no amendments. If we had intentioned and does reach our low- huge tax breaks for the energy indus- followed regular order and taken this and middle-income classes, it unfortu- try at a time when they receive the bill through the committee process, we nately may not be the best use of $6 most profit in their history, this bill could have taken a bill with a good in- billion. Ideally, this money should be doesn’t add to the deficit. The ways tent and made it a good piece of legis- more evenly spent. Aid experts and that this bill is paid for invite careful lation on behalf of all of our Nation’s those in the academic community review of how we balance the direct citizens and done even better than we often identify Pell Grants, the primary and private loan programs and they in- will do today. source of aid for the neediest students, vite careful review of how we adjust I also need to address the failure of as the best avenue for increasing af- the present programs. But this bill is this legislation to address the reason fordability. Leading up to this bill, paid for. that students are in need of more and these groups argued that the money This is the change that the American higher student loans, the reason they would be best spent in this manner. In people voted for, help for the middle need to borrow more and more, and the future, I hope that this Congress class, not increasing the deficit, and that is ever-increasing tuition rates. spends more time deciphering the best pay-as-you-go. I am delighted to hear To the great credit of the distin- way to appropriate taxpayers’ money. that at least two of our colleagues on guished gentleman from California, in Finally, I believe that we have to the other side will vote ‘‘yes’’ on this previous years we sought to address begin gaining a better understanding of bill. I hope, Madam Speaker, that doz- that issue. He led the charge to try to private student loans. With the esca- ens or even hundreds of our colleagues work with the institutions of higher lation in college costs, students are ex- on the other side will join us in voting education across this country to be hausting their Federal loans and are ‘‘yes’’ in favor of middle-class students reasonable, to be responsible. This leg- forced to turn to private loans, some- and deficit reduction. islation does not address that at all. thing that has not been a part of the Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I I am often surprised when higher conversation. Consider this: 40 percent yield myself such time as I may con- education institutions lobby for great- of private loan borrowers are from the sume. er loan limits, and they don’t disclose bottom two income quartiles of stu- I appreciate my good friend from New to their students the reason that they dents going to college. Five years ago, Jersey talking about promises. My op- need higher loans is because those very private loans made up only $4 billion of ponent during the campaign, and I institutions keep raising their tuition the $850 billion of the asset-backed se- don’t know if this was the full Demo- rates. This bill does not address that curities market. Today, it comprises cratic Party, but what he said was they unfortunately. $13 billion. This is a completely dif- were going to cut student loan rates I am also very disappointed that this ferent market and is not shaped with immediately in half. I know as we got bill does not address the ability of stu- the policy goal of increasing access and here in Washington and they assumed dents to get into colleges, those up- affordability for students. There are the majority, we were told that that front costs and the initial costs. This is many questions surrounding private would cost about $60 billion. So they about graduates who are in repayment. student loans and I intend on begin- had to cut back that promise to what It does not help new students to help ning to ask these questions. If we are they have done now is a phased in ap- families get their children into school. to tackle this issue, we must do so proach that cuts the student loan in- Unlike the Deficit Reduction Act, completely. terest rate ultimately at the end of 5 and this was addressed earlier by one of The issue of college affordability and years to 3.4 percent for subsidized the previous speakers, that legislation access is complicated but one that I loans, which is considerably smaller actually gave additional assistance to trust we can come together to help re- than their original promise. I just students in going to school, signifi- solve, not just those of us in Congress wanted to correct the record with that. cantly higher grant program amounts, but also those in academia, the lenders, I am happy now to yield 4 minutes to I think over $5 billion in new grant pro- students, parents and institutions. the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. grams; lower loan fees that the distin- Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield PLATTS), a member of the committee. guished gentleman from California ad- 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Mr. PLATTS. Madam Speaker, I ap- dressed, from 4 percent to 1 percent; Jersey (Mr. ANDREWS). preciate the distinguished gentleman higher loan limits for those early years (Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given from California for yielding to me. of college. permission to revise and extend his re- Madam Speaker, I certainly support It made it more affordable for stu- marks.) the underlying goal of this legislation dents, especially low- and middle-class Mr. ANDREWS. I thank my friend for about making higher education more family students, to get into college and yielding. affordable for our citizens, and I plan to pay their bills as they were in col- Madam Speaker, this debate is about to support this legislation to move the lege. This bill does not address that. a promise broken and a promise kept. process forward because it is an impor- Finally, while I certainly support the When President Bush ran for President tant goal we are after. pay-as-you-go approach and voted in the first time in 2000, he promised to I know from personal experience the favor of that reform this past week, make the maximum Pell Grant $5,100 importance of student loans. I am prob- this bill achieves that goal in a gim- per year. Today, the maximum Pell ably one of the few Members of this mick fashion. The way it spreads out

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:45 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.053 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H603 the reduction and pays for this is not ing me an opportunity to speak on this leges and universities are going to true pay-as-you-go. And I think if we bill. I have been listening to the debate charge. I think it is a very cynical are going to do right by our citizens, in on this bill, and it is, again, an amaz- move on the part of the Democrats to this case by those seeking and getting ing situation for me. do this, and I think it is very unfortu- higher education opportunities, we My colleagues on my side of the aisle nate. need to make the tough decisions and have been extremely articulate. They Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield truly pay for what we are providing in have presented the facts, and I am 3 minutes to the gentleman from Wis- assistance. amazed that my colleagues on the consin (Mr. KIND). I will vote in favor of this legislation other side of the aisle, at how they can Mr. KIND. Mr. Speaker, I want to to move the process forward, but I hope stand up and simply not tell the truth thank my good friend from Michigan as it moves forward and we get to work over and over and over again. I am just for his leadership on this issue. I am with the Senate, that we will do much astonished by it. proud as a 10-year member of the House better in truly assisting the students I graduated from college after 7 years Education and Labor Committee to who are trying to get into school or without a dime of debt. I worked my stand here in support of H.R. 5. who are in school now with the cost of way through school. Any student who With all due respect to my colleague higher education. If we do so, as we wants to go to college in this country from North Carolina, the previous have done in the past in some impor- can graduate from college without a speaker, facts can be a stubborn thing. tant ways with the Deficit Reduction dime of debt. The fact of the matter is, if we imple- Act, we truly will be about helping our We have all kinds of choices in this ment this law, if we get the President Nation’s students. country as to where to go to college. If to support this cut in interest rate bur- Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield people want a college degree, they can den in half, over 750,000 undergraduates 2 minutes to the gentleman from New do it. in my home State of Wisconsin will re- Jersey (Mr. HOLT). What we are doing, by decreasing, by alize cost savings, over half of them in Mr. HOLT. I thank my friend from the sham, it is nothing but a sham, and my home congressional district alone. Michigan. I think people have to say that over They are looking at, on average, Madam Speaker, I rise in support of and over again. I am not going to re- about a $14,000 debt burden by the time H.R. 5, a bill that would cut in half stu- peat the statistics that have been they finish school; and with this bill, dent loan interest rates and make col- given, because they have been given they will realize close to $4,400 in sav- very well. lege more affordable, improve our ings with this interest rate reduction, My opponents simply cannot deny economy, and improve the quality of which almost covers a full year of tui- the facts, they cannot deny the num- lives across America. tion at a public university in my home The average student graduates with bers. How we have increased the Pell State of Wisconsin. So, yes, facts can more than $17,000 in loan debt, almost Grants, they can’t deny, and how they be a stubborn thing. What we are doing 45 percent more than just a decade or did nothing to increase the Pell here is real. so ago. In New Jersey, in my State, Grants. But they cannot deny the facts. They can give your opinions, but But let us also recall why we are this bill would save the average stu- today, because we are following in the dent 4 or $5,000 over the life of the they cannot deny the facts. One of the facts is, there is going to wake of the largest raid on student aid loans. in our Nation’s history when the Re- According to the Congressional Re- be one time, 6 months, where this is publican Congress last year, in their search Service, half of the student loan going to be cut in half, as they said budget reconciliation, cut over $12 bil- borrowers who benefit under this legis- they were going to do. What a shame lion from the student aid program, lation have family incomes under 60 or that they are doing that and making that the President went along with. $70,000, and the median income of fam- the people of this country believe that The irony is that budget reconcili- ily borrowers is $45,000. These are ordi- they are, quote, ‘‘keeping their prom- ations are supposed to reduce the def- nary folks. Now, each of my colleagues ises.’’ They are not keeping their prom- icit. What they did in delivering huge can find thousands of stories of citizens ises. tax breaks to the most wealthy was in his or her own district where these All we are doing is inviting colleges doing that cut in student aid while also loans have given a greater lease on life and universities to increase their tui- increasing the deficit, which is another and livelihood to ordinary folks. tion and fees. I became a college ad- thing that we need to emphasize here We can talk about might have been, ministrator and a college president. So today, that we fully pay for this bill should have been, things we can do to I know student financial aid from the because of the pay-as-you-go budgeting make college more affordable. This is inside and out. This is, again, a smoke- rule we implemented this year. something we can do right now. The and-mirrors issue. Can we do more on accountability? legislation we are considering today We are not going to help students, we Should there be more transparency in will provide needed relief for cutting are not increasing accessibility for why there are rising costs? Should we interest rates from 6.8 percent to 3.4 poor students. If we were, we would be be doing more with direct grant pro- percent, and it will be a vital step to- putting this into either work-study or grams? Of course. ward making college more affordable Pell. That is how you really help the This isn’t the final step of a long for millions of Americans. low-income students who are trying to go to school, not by decreasing to 3.4 journey, but merely the beginning. I b 1400 percent for 6 months, the loans. hope that by the rhetoric that we are If we are going to stay competitive in What they are really trying to do hearing today that we will be able to the global economy, we must make ac- here, I think, is drive the private sec- produce a bipartisan higher education cess to higher education more possible; tor out of the market for having stu- bill later this year that we can all be and helping qualified students pursue dent loans. They would like the gov- proud about, that will focus on access higher education is good not only for ernment, again, to take over this en- and affordability issues. the individual students, but also for tire program. I may propose one way to find some our economy, our competitiveness, our We are not increasing this issue of cost savings. The Congressional Budget security, the future of this Nation. accountability. We don’t know when Office indicates that if we expand ac- We have an opportunity to do it. The our students graduate from college now cess to the STAR program, the direct opportunity has been passed over some- what skills they have. Republicans loan program, we could realize over $17 times in the past, but let’s do it now. have tried and tried and tried to get billion worth of savings over the next Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I am schools to be accountable for what 10 years, and that is based on a very happy to yield at this time 3 minutes they are charging for, and it is very ex- conservative utilization estimate from to the gentlelady from North Carolina pensive to get a college degree these 25 to 44 percent. That is a very conserv- (Ms. FOXX), a member of the com- days, especially if you go to private in- ative increase in utilization. mittee. stitutions. In fact, if every school participated Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I am So we don’t increase the account- in a direct loan program, we could real- very grateful to my colleagues for giv- ability, but we increase what the col- ize savings of over $60 billion these

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:45 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.054 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H604 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 next 10 years. Imagine what we can do or was paid attention to in the com- good friend from Utah, a member who for student-need-based programs and mittee. is returning to the committee, Mr. direct grant programs like the Pell This year, we hope to refile bills BISHOP, 4 minutes. Grant program with an additional $60 along that way and work in a bipar- Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speak- billion freed up for this higher edu- tisan manner so those larger issues will er, you know, about roughly three dec- cation bill. So it is one proposal that I have that opportunity, and we intend ades ago, Congress decided to offer den- throw out there that maybe we can on doing that. In the meantime, this is tal health plan benefits to Federal em- have a discussion about as we move a down payment. It is a down payment ployees. And as they sent out the price forward with reauthorization of the on the need to make college more af- sheet to all the Federal employees and higher education bill. fordable and accessible by cutting the circulated amongst them, on that price But I suspect we are going to get bi- interest rates on student loans, as has sheet was a column that said what is partisan support with H.R. 5. We should been described. not covered in the dental health plan. with this bill today. Not only does it We have more to do. We want to in- Underneath that column of what is not bring real savings to real students crease Pell Grants. Mr. KELLER said covered in the dental health plan was making college more affordable, but we that, and he is right. Last year, of ‘‘teeth.’’ do it in a fiscally responsible manner course, the majority of then Repub- On the issue that we have before us by paying for it all and not adding to licans had a wonderful opportunity to right now, which deals with student the deficit. do that. Instead, they decided to cut a payments and loans, I think if we had I encourage my colleagues to support net of $12 billion, basically to help the another column which said what is not H.R. 5. powerful and the privileged. They are covered in this bill, you might also Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I busy trying to make sure that people have the word ‘‘students.’’ yield myself such time as I may con- have an incentive to get into a loan This particular bill is one that is ex- sume. market for which no incentive is need- tremely disappointing to me. Of the What I would ask of people that are ed. half dozen message bills that we had following this debate, if they would In fact, there will be very little im- last week and continuing on this week, pact on lenders with the way they are take the numbers and then realize that this is the one that for me held out the paying for this particular bill. They what the bill does, it takes the loan most hope for the future. will digest that very readily and still rate, which is 6.8 percent, and reduces In fact, my disappointment is only make a handsome profit. As Mr. KIND it to 6.1 the first year, and then incre- perhaps met by yesterday when I went from Wisconsin said, there is every op- mentally drops it, and then the last 6 to the airport planning to fly into portunity for us to do more direct months, this is a 5-year bill, the last 6 Washington, DC, and ended up in Balti- loans and to recapture more money, to months it goes to 3.4 percent. more. No offense to some of our won- give further Pell Grants and campus- If you will take those numbers and derful staff who live there, but I didn’t figure out how much to borrow each based aid like student work-study. We need to get States to reinvest want to be in Baltimore, it didn’t help year to get to the 14,000 and then pay it more in education. They are falling off me out. off over the 15 years, if they consoli- the cliff since 2001 in terms of their in- This is another one of those bills. I date the loan, pay it off over the whole vestment. We have a good bill that we say that from some kind of personal 15 years, there is no $4,400 of savings. It will file and hopefully have the help of concept, because 2 years ago, I had four is more in the neighborhood of a little the Republicans. We will address that kids in college at the same time. This over $2,000. situation to get them back into the year, I have got three kids in college at Madam Speaker, I would be happy to game. the same time. Next year, I go back to yield to a new Member of Congress, Mr. We need to allow more tax deduct- four kids in college. Sometime, I hope SMITH from Nebraska, 2 minutes. ibility for tuition so that families have the hemorrhaging will stop. Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam a break. And moving forward, if we are But I was hoping in some way that Speaker, I rise to express concern serious about how much education is this could do some wonderful things for about what I have heard from both required, given the nature of the work- me. But this bill does nothing to ex- sides of the aisle, and that is the rising place, given nature of the competitive- pand the opportunity for kids to go to cost of postsecondary education. It ness of the international arena, we college. It does nothing to actually concerns all of us here, and I know that need more college students. help kids as they are going through we all want to work together. I hope to There was a day when 8 years of college. It only impacts graduates, and address these costs. My concern is that school worked well for the agricultural then only temporarily for a small pe- this resolution will not address this era. Then it went to the industrial age riod of time, the very people who prob- issue. where 12 years of school was necessary. ably need it the least. As we look to the larger issues of We are beyond that now. For tech- Earl Weaver, the old manager of the that growing cost, we have to look fur- nology and other reasons, we need peo- Baltimore Orioles, used to try to bait ther than what many folks here can ple to have more than 12 years; that the umpires by going in their face and agree, that it is not a substantial effect means college, whether 2 years or 4 simply saying, are you going to get any that we can expect with H.R. 5. I hope years. That means making sure that better, or is this it? that you will share my concern, and I kids know they can get into college In all good deference, is this it? hope we can continue to work in a di- and afford to pay for it, with Pell There is a significant problem we have, rection of working together, hopefully Grants, with work-study, they still and hopefully once the rhetoric of the through a committee process, and need loans. power plays of the couple of weeks are come up with something that will ad- I don’t know where the gentlewoman past, we can do some bipartisan work. dress these concerns. from North Carolina, what her college For, indeed, the ranking member from Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield was, but if she knew the rest of the California, my good friend, Mr. 2 minutes to the gentleman from the country, they need to borrow, they MCKEON, does have a bill which ad- Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Mr. need a break in their loans. We are dresses the real needs of kids in public TIERNEY). happy to provide that here today. education and higher education at the Mr. TIERNEY. Madam Speaker, I Mr. MCKEON. If I might inquire of same time, and it builds on a founda- thank the gentleman from Michigan the Speaker, what time is left on each tion of increasing support for higher for yielding. side? education that has been going by the Madam Speaker, in the last session, The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- Republican Party for years and years the Democrats did, in fact, file a bill tleman from California (Mr. MCKEON) and years. that would have done a lot of things to has 601⁄2 minutes, and the gentleman b 1415 make colleges more accountable and from Michigan (Mr. KILDEE) has 73 accessible. Unfortunately, that is not minutes available. It does try to expand access, which is the bill that was moved through Con- Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, at what we should be doing. It does try gress, and very little of it got discussed this time I am happy to yield to my and help those who are in school right

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:57 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.057 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H605 now, to support them. To be honest, I go to college to compete in the global better had we had the opportunity for may even vote for this bill. This is one economy that we are facing. This Na- it to go through the regular process, of those whoop-te-do bills. It doesn’t tion has not stood up to help our stu- the Education and Labor Committee, spend a whole lot, it doesn’t address a dents, and we need to do a better job of so that both Democratic members of whole lot, it doesn’t help a whole lot. it. This is the beginning of that. that committee and Republican mem- But, to be honest with you, what it I hope all my colleagues will support bers, the minority, would have an op- does for my kids in college right now is this bill. portunity to offer amendments to nothing. What it does for the friends of Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I am make this much, much better, and to my kids in college right now is noth- happy to yield 4 minutes to the gen- let the American people know that we ing. What it does for the students I tleman from Georgia (Mr. GINGREY). can do a much better job than this. taught in high school who are still in Mr. GINGREY. Madam Speaker, I So we can do a lot better than this, college is basically nothing, when it rise today in opposition to H.R. 5, the Madam Speaker, and I am going to op- could have done so much more and College Student Relief Act. Once again, pose this bill. I encourage my col- should have done so much more, and my colleagues on the other side of the leagues on both sides of the aisle to we need to move forward to do so much aisle bring legislation to the floor look at this and give us the oppor- more. today that will do nothing to solve the tunity to recommit with instructions, There has to be something more. problem they have outlined. so we can send this bill not back to This isn’t hopefully as good as it gets. In this country, a college education committee, but to the committee The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without is an accomplishment that all individ- under regular order and get a better objection, the gentleman from Cali- uals should have the opportunity to product. fornia (Mr. GEORGE MILLER) now con- pursue. I believe it is not only a noble, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. trols the time for the majority. but also an essential endeavor for our Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to There was no objection. government to pursue avenues to in- the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. crease access to post-secondary edu- Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to HIRONO), a member of the committee. cation for any and all individuals inter- Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. ested. However, Madam Speaker, it thank the chairman for yielding me MCCARTHY), a member of the com- needs to be said that this legislation mittee. time. does nothing to actually tackle that Madam Speaker, I rise today in Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank my chairman very real and crucial problem. strong support of H.R. 5. As a first gen- Right now our country is in need of on the Education Committee. eration immigrant who came to the Madam Speaker, I am watching and leadership that will tackle the tough United States speaking no English, listening to this debate, and we cer- issues head on, not hide behind some education was a great equalizer for me, tainly have had this debate going back quick sound bite solutions, rhetoric which is why this bill is of particular into the committee last year. Many of that does not translate to sound policy importance to me. Access to education us have said this is only the beginning that actually combats the problem. is critical, but college costs are so high of what we are going to be doing for Madam Speaker, the problem really that individuals and families are being our students. is the price tag of a college education. priced out of the opportunity. When you travel around the world My colleague, the ranking member of I worked to put myself through col- and you look at those students that are the Education and Labor Committee, lege and law school, but I couldn’t have going to school and you see what those has brought this fact to the forefront done it without student loans. It took nations are doing to make sure that of this Congress over a number of me 15 years to pay those loans back, their students are prepared for the years, and certainly as chairman of but I was glad to have them. global economy, I have always this committee in the 109th. This is the Today we have an opportunity to do thought, what are we doing here? What real problem, the sticker shock of something concrete, something real, to are we doing here in the United States? these low-income families trying to help make college more affordable and I heard that some people say they pursue for their children a college edu- accessible. I urge my colleagues to join can go to college without taking out a cation. And here we are offering them me in supporting this bill. Education loan. Well, I wish a lot of my students a little bit, a very little bit in small in- should be the great equalizer, but that back home, my constituents’ children, crements over a 5-year period, cutting can happen only when every qualified could do that. Almost all the students the interest rate. student has the opportunity to pursue that I know that are going to school I want to remind my colleagues, it. Mahalo. have a job and go to school, because Madam Speaker, of the old adage that Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I re- that is their dream. you can absolutely go broke saving serve the balance of my time. Then I hear that this is not going to money. These kids cannot afford a col- Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. do anything for our students that are lege education because of the infla- Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to in school. I sit on the Financial Serv- tionary spiral of tuition and fees at our the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. ices Committee also, and we know the college campuses and universities, both KUCINICH), a member of the committee. burden that our young people are fac- public and private. Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I ing when they finish college because of So this is the kind of issue that we want to thank the gentleman for yield- the interest rates. We are trying to ad- need to address, not this window dress- ing. dress that. As I said, this is the first of ing of just lowering the interest rate. Madam Speaker, as the first person the things that we will be doing to They don’t really get that break until on either side of my family to be able make sure that our students have the they get out of college, 6 months after to have the opportunity to graduate opportunity to go to college, to keep graduation, at a time where that from college, I understand what it is the costs down and help them on every shouldn’t really be a problem for them. like for members of American families single level. But coming up with that $10,000 a se- to have this dream of higher education This actually fits, in my opinion, mester to go to school is wherein the and to have to work full-time, some- with Leave No Child Behind, which we real problem lies, especially for these times two jobs, and to go to school and will be addressing in the committee low-income families that would be eli- to try to balance all that and see tui- this year also. We want our students to gible for the benefit, this $6 billion ben- tion keep climbing and climbing and be well prepared so they are able to go efit, which, by the way, Madam Speak- the reach of a higher education start- to college, and it fits together, and we er and my colleagues, was actually a ing to elude one’s grasp. are going to make sure that we have a $60 billion promise in these recent elec- Millions of Americans are facing good plan for Leave No Child Behind. I tions last November. Ninety percent of this. This is why the College Student am looking forward to working on the promise has automatically dis- Relief Act is so important. Last year, that. appeared. over the strong objections of students College education is expensive, and The point I want to make, Madam and many Members of Congress, Con- yet we know that our students need to Speaker, is that this bill could be a lot gress cut approximately $12 billion

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:45 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.060 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H606 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 from the Federal student aid program. This Congress must work together to help consume to the gentleman from Flor- But at the same time the price of a col- ensure every American, regardless of their in- ida (Mr. KELLER), the ranking member lege diploma at a public university has come level, has the opportunity to continue of the subcommittee dealing with high- continued to grow at a rate that far their education. er education, the Pell Grant expert. outpaces inflation. Since 2001, tuition The benefits of expanded access to college Mr. KELLER of Florida. Madam and fees at public universities have in- are not limited to the individuals continuing Speaker, I thank the ranking member creased by 41 percent after inflation. their education, but extend to society as a for yielding to me. I am back. Like Now, are students suddenly finding whole. gum under a bus seat, you can’t get rid themselves in a market where they are We must encourage the innovation and tal- of me here. Let me just address a cou- making 41 percent more? Not a chance. ent of our youth and ensure that every Amer- ple of issues to clarify some things. They are lucky to have a job at all. Are ican is given the skills and training necessary First, you keep hearing about a $12 their parents making more money? No. to reach their fullest potential. billion raid on student aid. We didn’t Most of their parents are maxed out on Our Nation benefits from an educated and take a single penny away from a single their credit cards. This bill is critical skilled workforce and we must not hesitate to student. Not one Pell Grant went down, when we consider what the needs are. invest in the education of our students. not one student paid a higher interest We have to encourage innovation and The passage of H.R. 5 is a vital first step in rate on their student loans. What we talent of our youth and ensure that our efforts to increase access to college and did was take money away from lender every American is given the skills and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting subsidies. training necessary to reach their full- it. Now, when we took $12 billion away est potential. This Congress must work Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. from lender subsidies, it is called a raid together to help ensure that every Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to on student aid. When the Democrats American, regardless of their income the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. today took $6 billion away from lender level, has the opportunity to continue GRIJALVA). subsidies, it is called the College Stu- their education. Mr. GRIJALVA. Madam Speaker, I dent Relief Act. Our Nation benefits from an educated rise today in support of H.R. 5, the Col- Now, they say, ‘‘well, we poured that and skilled workforce. We must not lege Student Relief Act. And certainly money back into helping students with hesitate to invest in education for our what a relief it is. lower interest rates, $6 billion of it.’’ students. The passage of this bill is a Madam Speaker, for years, students We poured $9 billion back into helping vital step in our efforts to increase ac- and families have been burdened by cess to college. With the passage of this college students. $4.5 billion went to growing debt and Congress’ unwilling- Pell-eligible students in something bill, we can take the first step towards ness to budge on any key higher edu- increasing access to college and ensur- called Academic Competitiveness cation issues. The fear of student loan Grants and SMART Grants, giving high ing that students graduating from col- debt causes many would-be students to lege are not weighed down for life with achieving Pell Grant students the op- forgo the better quality of life that a portunity to get an extra $4,050 their debt. college education offers. I rise in support of H.R. 5, the College Stu- final 2 years. We also lowered the These difficult decisions tangibly im- amount of origination fees students dent Relief Act. pact minority access to education. Last year, over the strong objections of stu- would pay for loans and increased their Over half of Arizona’s K through 12 stu- loan limits. dents and many Members of this body, Con- dents are minority. By the year 2020, gress cut approximately $12 billion from Fed- So we poured $9 billion back, 33 per- Latinos will make up almost one-quar- cent more than they did. So don’t be eral student aid programs. ter of our Nation’s undergraduates. However, the price tag on a college diploma fooled by the funny little names char- Now we have the chance to make up at a public university has continued to grow at acterizing things, because it is not a for the $12 billion cut in student loan a rate far outpacing inflation. Since 2001, tui- lot of straight talk. programs that the former majority en- tion and fees at public universities have in- The second thing you hear is ‘‘would acted during last year’s budget rec- creased by 41 percent after inflation. have, could have, should have.’’ They The prior Congress cut student aid, as the onciliation. This is just the first of had been in power for 6 years. Why costs of attending a public university continued many steps this Congress will take to didn’t they do more to increase Pell to rise. achieve this end. Grants? Pell Grants in 2000 were $7.6 Therefore it is no surprise that over the next This bill enjoys bipartisan support. billion. This past year, they were $13 decade financial barriers will prevent 2 million Unfortunately, last night the President billion. That is a 71 percent increase. high school graduates from continuing on to released a statement indicating a pos- We did increase it. In addition, we paid post-secondary education, even at a local sible veto of the bill, reasoning that down the shortfall of $4.3 billion. community college. H.R. 5 would direct Federal subsidies to college graduates and not to students Furthermore, as Federal student aid pro- b 1430 grams have faced funding cutbacks, students and their families. have increasingly been forced to rely on loans This statement is simply untrue. As Second, if you look over here, in 2000, as their primary source of support. an example, at the University of Ari- the maximum award was $3,300. In the It is outrageous that easy access to a col- zona, in my district, all 6,200 Pell final year, it was $4,050. This is an in- lege education be restricted to the wealthy Grant recipients also receive subsidized crease, not as much as many of us while students from less advantageous cir- Stafford loans. In our current higher would like, but it is an increase. cumstances must either do without or be sad- education climate, subsidized Stafford Finally, the reason this $4,050 did not dled with a paralyzing debt. loans are an integral part of a com- go up to $5,100, as President Bush and I These plights make the passage of H.R. 5 prehensive, need-based financial aid and others had hoped, is because we all the more necessary. Cutting these interest package. had a dramatic increase in the amount rates is a first step towards ensuring the rising The fast-rising price of post-sec- of students who were eligible for Pell cost of tuition does not continue to place a ondary education, coupled with the de- Grants from 3.9 million to 5.3 million. college education beyond the means of many cline in need-based aid, endangers the So the pie got a lot bigger, and rather Americans. opportunities of low income, first gen- than cut their grants, we still contin- Today, with the passage of this bill, this eration and students of color in the ued to fund them and had an extra 36 House can take the first step toward increas- pursuit of a better life through edu- percent enrollment of people who got ing access to college and ensuring that stu- cation. This bill brings need-based aid Pell Grants. dents graduating from college are not weighed front and center and provides real re- Now, what should we have done down for life with debt. lief for student borrowers. more? The Higher Education Act, we When the interest rate reduction in this leg- I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 5 had language that I put in there that islation is fully phased in the average borrower and open the doors to college afford- increased the Pell Grant authorization will save approximately $4,400 over the life of ability once again for all. to $6,000. We made Pell Grants year their loan. This action will cut the cost of col- Mr. MCKEON. Mr. Madam Speaker, I round. I sent letters to the appropri- lege for over 5 million students. am happy to yield such time as he may ators asking them to fund that

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:45 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.061 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H607 amount. We had the funding up 71 per- to terms with the amount of debt they may Madam Speaker, I rise in strong sup- cent. We have SMART grants and aca- take on. port of the College Student Relief Act. demic competitive grants. What more The most important consideration for fami- This bill will put college education could we have done? lies in our Congressional District is what the back in reach for millions of students At some point, we have to realize as cost of going to college will be. and their families. the authorizing committee, we are Financial barriers inhibit the ability of high The debt relief in this bill is targeted kind of dependent on what appropri- school graduates to go to college. to help the students who need it most, ators are going to spend. We have a By reducing student loan interest rates, we students from 5.5 million working and pretty good record on the Pell Grant are encouraging families and students to get a middle-class families across the coun- issue, one we can be proud of. college education. try. To see it visually a little easier, you When we pass this legislation, we are in- Here I am, a kid from a family of can see the yellow marks the 10 years vesting in the future of our economy because seven whose parents came to this coun- when Democrats were last in control of we will have more college graduates with a try without knowing English, without Congress. The red is when the Repub- lower debt burden. much money, and without jobs waiting licans took over. You can see a dra- This will enable graduates to do things like for them. But with hard work, the matic spike in Pell Grants. And what is buy homes, invest and fuel our economy. great support of family and friends, interesting, in the final 2 years when To offset the costs of reducing interest and some good luck, and mostly be- Democrats were in control, 1993 and rates, we are reducing the amount the Federal cause of affordable student loans, I 1994, they actually cut Pell Grants. Government guarantees lenders. made it where I am today. Each month So we have got a good record to be While this is not a popular idea with large when I write that check to make that proud of, and that is one of the reasons lenders, smaller lenders will not be impacted payment on my student loan (because I we wanted some of this money to go to by this legislation. am still paying off my student loans) I Student loans are not the bread and butter Pell Grants today so it would help peo- know that I am paying for an invest- of large financial institutions, but smaller local ple to actually go to college rather ment that was well worth it. banks and credit unions often provide student than just helping people on the back Many young people today find them- loans in smaller communities. selves where I was at age 18, wondering end. This is why lower volume lenders will not be With that, I am not here to make fun what they will do with their lives; and impacted. to those students, especially those of the proposal the Democrats have Madam Speaker, this is a win for middle come forward with. I am going to vote whose parents did not go to college, the class America, future generations of college prospect of student loan debt can be for it. The thing I am most impressed students and our Nation. with is, this time they have offered a very frightening. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. When I was working as a bilingual way to pay for it. That is something Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. aide in an elementary school to help they did not do last year. They should Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to pay my college bills, I would always be commended in doing that. the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. talk to my students about going to col- I just hope that, moving forward, HARE), a member of the committee. lege, what they would do when they they will work together with us in a bi- Mr. HARE. Madam Speaker, I thank went to college, and how hard they partisan manner to address this sky- the chairman for yielding. should work to prepare for college. rocketing increase in tuition costs and Madam Speaker, today’s college stu- I used to talk to my kids about col- to help increase Pell Grants so that dents are graduating with increasing lege all the time, and finally, one of every child in this country, rich or levels of student loan debt. In Illinois, them asked me, Teacher, what is col- poor, will have the opportunity to go the average Stafford loan debt for stu- lege? to college. dents who graduate from a 4-year uni- It is a long road from discovering Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. versity is over $14,000. Unfortunately, what a college education is and what Madam Speaker, for the purpose of the cost of college tuition is sky- doors it can open to choosing the right making a unanimous consent request, I rocketing, forcing more and more stu- college and then figuring out how to yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. dents to rely on loans than ever before. pay for it. GENE GREEN). Because I believe higher education This bill makes the paying-for-it part (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked should provide economic opportunities a bit easier for millions of hardworking and was given permission to revise and for our students and not bankrupt students and families and helps stu- extend his remarks.) them, I rise today in support of H.R. 5, dents make an investment in them- Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Madam the College Student Relief Act. selves by reducing the burden of debt Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5. This legislation will cut interest that high interest rates create. This bill cuts student loan interest rates to a rates on subsidized loans in half, saving These students have worked hard to fixed 3.4 percent over 5 years. the average student thousands of dol- open the door of opportunity that a Right now, the average student loan debt is lars over the life of his or her loan. Ad- college education brings them. Those around $13,800. By passing this bill, we are ditionally, by making student loans of us who have already stepped through saving a student with average debt $4,400 more affordable, H.R. 5 allows many that door have an obligation to hold it over the life of their loan. qualified students from middle- and open for those who follow, and the Col- Also, this legislation targets middle-class lower-income families to go to college lege Student Relief Act does just that. America. Half of the students that take on fed- who would not have been able to go to This bill will help make the prospect erally subsidized loans have incomes between college before. of college debt less daunting. $26,000 and $68,000 a year. On behalf of the many students in my In this great Nation, what we teach This benefits millions of lower income fami- district, such as those at Western Illi- kids from the youngest age is that lies, but also hardworking middle-class Ameri- nois University with whom I will be there are no class barriers, that they cans that are trying to give their children a leg discussing this issue this weekend, I can achieve anything they work for. up in living the American dream. will vote for H.R. 5 and will work on Finances should not be a barrier be- College tuition has risen 41 percent since the Education and Workforce Com- tween students and their educational 2001. Just this year, the percentage of stu- mittee to find better opportunities for training. dents relying on loans to get through school students and their hardworking fami- This bill will save students and their families hit 52 percent. lies. thousands of dollars, giving them the oppor- This is a direct result of rising tuition costs Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. tunity to earn a college education. It will bring in both public and private institutions. Madam Speaker, I yield 21⁄4 minutes to many American dreams that much closer to These families need help and we should the gentlewoman from California (Ms. reality. give it to them. Twice a year, our office holds LINDA T. SA´ NCHEZ), a member of the Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I a Paying for College workshop. committee. yield myself such time as I may con- We bring in lenders and experts on filling Ms. LINDA T. SA´ NCHEZ of Cali- sume. out the FAFSA to help our students navigate fornia. Madam Speaker, I thank the I really want those who are watching through the application process and to come chairman for yielding. this debate to understand how much I

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:45 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.063 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H608 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 understand the importance of a higher cially the lower- and middle-class that Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. education, how important it is and how are just trying to get into school, that Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to necessary for someone to really it will be 5 years. First they have to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. achieve the American Dream; they get into school, have enough money to DAVIS). need to get as much education as they pay their tuition and fees and make it Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speak- can. through the 5 years to graduate, and er, as one who graduated from college What we are looking at with this bill, then they start reaping some of the with two of my elementary school though, really what it does is, if you benefits of this as they repay their stu- teachers, because they did not have to look at it from July 1, 2007, to July 1, dent loans. have a college degree at that time and 2008, it cuts the fixed rate of student Madam Speaker, I reserve the bal- could not get one, I want to thank and interest loans from to 6.8 to 6.1. A year ance of my time. commend Chairman MILLER for bring- later, it cuts it to 5.44; a year later to Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. ing this legislation to the floor. 4.76; a year later to 4.08. And then ulti- Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to As a member of the Committee on mately, 5 years from now, January 1, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Education and the Workforce, I am 2011, it cuts for 6 months the rate to COURTNEY), a member of the com- proud to cosponsor this historic legis- 3.4, which is what they are saying is, it mittee. lation that will make college more af- cuts the interest rate in half. Well, it Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, fordable to students in Illinois and does for 6 months of the 5 years that H.R. 5, introduced by Mr. MILLER in the across the Nation. this bill covers. opening hours of this Congress, begins A few minutes ago, I heard one of my I think what we need to really look the critical work we must do as a Na- colleagues from the other side of the at is the College Advisory Committee tion to build an economy that is based aisle suggest that this was a sound bite on Student Financial Assistance has on an educated workforce. of some kind, and I was thinking to Make no mistake about it. The eco- done a study, and they show that 48 myself, yeah, for those students in my nomic health of our country will turn percent of low-income students cannot district who live in and go to college at on whether or not our children have even get into college, into a 4-year in- Columbia College, it is a savings bite of the educational tools to compete and stitution. Twenty-two percent cannot $2,430 over the years that they will be succeed. And make no mistake about even get into a community college be- in school; at Chicago State University, cause they cannot afford the upfront it, all the present trends in access to higher education point to danger. $2,270; Concordia University, $2,430; money. DePaul University, $2,410; Dominican, What I am saying is what we should The bipartisan National Conference $2,580; and on down the line. be looking at, even though we are put- on State Legislatures issued a report Well, if it is a sound bite, I think the ting in $90 billion this year, three last month which described higher edu- sound of this kind of saving sounds times more than just 10 years ago, it is cation in America as a system in crisis, pretty good to the students who live in still not enough to provide all of the largely due to the Federal Govern- the city of Chicago, the State of Illi- things we would like to do for all of the ment’s declining commitment to keep- nois and across the Nation. I urge its students that need the opportunity to ing higher education affordable. passage. go to college. Coming from a congressional district So, if you have to look at just what that is home to the University of Con- Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. resources you do have, what we are necticut, this finding comes as no Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to saying is, why do we not put those re- shock. Students and their families all the gentleman from New York (Mr. sources to those students that are try- testify to the same grim condition: tui- BISHOP). ing to get into college, rather than give tion has gone up 41 percent since 2001, b 1445 college costs have gone up faster than a bonus to those that are graduating Mr. BISHOP of New York. Madam health care over the last 25 years, and and are now going to repay a loan; and Speaker, during the most recent vote in Connecticut, college is increasingly that is what this bill does. to extend the Higher Education Act, I Those who have been fortunate becoming the sole province of the well- stood in this very spot and expressed enough to graduate are going to re- to-do. my hope that during the next session ceive about $1 million more income in According to the Hartford Current, 58 of Congress, under a new majority, we their lifetime than those who do not percent of Connecticut’s young people would again address the needs of Amer- get to go to college. We are saying in from the top income tier are in school, ica’s college students and make it this the time of limited resources, why do and only 16 percent in the lowest are time about increasing access and af- we not try to help those who are trying enrolled. Students are leaving college fordability. Madam Speaker, that hope to get on that economic ladder to real- burdened with record levels of debt, ize the American Dream rather than and many are forced to leave early be- is now being realized. give a bonus to those who have grad- cause of economic hardship. I rise today in strong support of H.R. uated. Even though all these disturbing 5, the College Student Relief Act of Even if you listen to the full debate, trends are occurring, the last Congress 2007. This important legislation cuts we are not even telling them the full did the unthinkable. It cut $12 billion interest rates for subsidized student facts. We are saying we are cutting of Federal assistance for college loans, loans in half, from 6.8 percent to 3.4 your interest in half. For 6 months, we pushing up the rate of interest for stu- percent over 5 years. In my home State are cutting it in half. The other time, dents. No other budget decision of the of New York, students will save an av- it is a phased-in cut over 5 years, and last Congress demonstrated how dis- erage of $4,500 over the course of their then it goes back up to the rate of 6.8 connected its priorities were than this loan once the 3.4 percent interest rate percent. cut, which hurt not only just students takes effect. This reduction of the stu- When I was chairman of the sub- but America’s future. dent interest rate will save millions of committee when we did the last reau- H.R. 5 will begin to repair the dam- college students thousands of dollars, thorization in 1998, we came up with an age of the 109th Congress’ harmful cuts and it will help the estimated 4.4 mil- interest rate that was the lowest in the to student hopes and America’s eco- lion high school graduates who will be history of the student loan business, nomic future. It will reduce the rates prevented from attending college this and we did that in a bipartisan way, of student loans by 50 percent over a 5- year because of financial barriers. and it was good for students. year period, and it will do it in a fis- It is important to note that all of the Now interest rates have changed, and cally responsible manner with offsets, changes proposed here today are ac- in a bipartisan way last year, we set not an increase in the deficit. complished under this Congress’ new the rate at 6.8 percent, which is what it Chairman MILLER deserves great PAYGO rules and are done without is now, which is a pretty good interest credit for H.R. 5 and represents a down harming students’ access to loans. In rate. Would I like it to be lower? You payment on the efforts of the Edu- addition, all but one of the offsets in- bet. cation and Workforce Committee to cluded in the bill have been proposed But I really think that we need to strengthen, and not weaken, our eco- by either the former Republican major- focus on helping those students, espe- nomic future. ity or by the President himself.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:45 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.066 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H609 Madam Speaker, during the 109th The majority proposes to rob $6 billion We have the chance to act on behalf Congress this Chamber chose to cut $12 from the private sector loan programs, of our country and our young adults; billion out of the student loan pro- programs that work to not only offer therefore, I urge my colleagues to sup- gram. These cuts, coupled with no in- and provide funding for college but also port this important measure. crease in the Pell Grant maximum for use market competition to drive down Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. 5 years, have sent a message to Amer- rates and offer borrower benefits the Madam Speaker, I ask if I might be ap- ica’s students that they are no longer government can’t match. And what prised how much time each side has. among this Nation’s top priorities. will they do with the money? They will The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- Today the message we send to students lower some rates for a short time on tleman from California (Mr. GEORGE is loud and clear: We in this Congress some borrowers who have in common MILLER) has 551⁄2 minutes remaining. are dedicated to helping you achieve only the fact that they have either The gentleman from California (Mr. the dream of a college education. graduated or left school and don’t need MCKEON) has 43 minutes remaining. The changes we make here today are the help as much as those who may Mr. MCKEON. At this time I am 1 just a first step in a series of proposals lose the benefits and services that were happy to yield 1 ⁄2 minutes to my good that will make it easier for students cut in order to lower the rates. friend from South Carolina (Mr. WIL- and their families to afford college. As It is a shame that those of us who de- SON). we move forward with the long overdue sire to have a real debate about govern- Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank the gen- reauthorization of the Higher Edu- ment’s role in assisting middle class tleman, Mr. MCKEON, for his leadership cation Act, I hope to see an increase in students achieve the American Dream and expanding opportunities for stu- the maximum Pell Grant, simplifica- of higher education are instead asked dents to attend college. tion of the FAFSA, and an increased to support an expensive counter- Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition investment in campus-based aid pro- productive cut in a student loan pro- to H.R. 5. As the father of three college grams. These changes are all part of an gram that is working. Madam Speaker, graduates and a college freshman, I am effort to narrow the expanding gap be- this would be humorous if it weren’t so all too familiar with the financial bur- tween the amount of available student serious. den higher education poses to families aid compared with the cost of attaining I strongly support financial assist- and students. That is why I am proud a college education. ance for students who are in true finan- of the Republican efforts to expand col- As a former college administrator, I cial need. Sadly, H.R. 5 is not a bill lege access and increase affordability. know firsthand the beneficial impact that will accomplish any of that. During the past decade, House Re- this legislation will have for needy stu- I urge my colleagues to support a publicans under the leadership of JOHN dents and their families who are work- commonsense recommit that will in- BOEHNER and BUCK MCKEON tripled ing to help their sons and daughters re- deed help students who are in financial overall Federal aid to a record $90 bil- alize their slice of the American need, and oppose the underlying bill. lion, helping millions of Americans Dream. Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. achieve their dream of a college edu- Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I am Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to cation. happy to yield 3 minutes to my friend the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. In addition, Republicans increased from Georgia (Mr. PRICE). YARMUTH). new aid for Pell students more than $4 Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Mr. YARMUTH. Madam Speaker, billion over 5 years, establishing the Speaker, I appreciate the time to dis- each year the number of jobs that re- first ever grant program for high cuss this matter. quire a college diploma grows. And achieving Pell students in their first Madam Speaker, the speeches and with tuition swelling at the rate of 41 and second years of college. The pro- claims that we have heard from the percent over the last 6 years, so does gram also provides grant aid to low in- other side sound so wonderful. They the number of capable and dedicated come, high achieving students pursuing sound so good. If only this bill did what Americans for whom that training is degrees in math, science, and critical they say. simply unattainable. foreign languages in their third and Madam Speaker, this bill is the hol- H.R. 5 does more than save $4,000-plus fourth years. low fulfillment of a solemn promise. It for 5.5 million students annually; it of- While the Democrat bill was well-in- is the epitome of form over substance. fers a chance to those who deserve it tentioned, its focus on interest rate re- And, Madam Speaker, it would be hu- most. These are students who have put duction does nothing to expand college morous if it weren’t so serious. It in their work, have demonstrated the access for new students. I urge my col- would be humorous if it didn’t increase desire, and possess the intellect to go leagues to vote in favor of the McKeon the hopes and dreams of young people to college, but don’t have the means. alternative, which will truly expand around this Nation only to callously These are some of the best and bright- college access for young Americans. and knowingly dash those hopes and est this country has to offer. These Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. dreams. young people are the hope for Amer- Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to A couple of specific items. This real- ica’s future. the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. ly is bait and switch. Supporters of this Opposing this legislation is to turn SARBANES), a member of the com- bill contend that a borrower with our backs on these bright young dedi- mittee. $13,800 of subsidized debt will save up cated citizens, creating a young work- Mr. SARBANES. I thank the chair- to $4,400. This assumes that they will force that is saddled with unmanage- man for yielding his time. see 4 years of loans made at the 3.4 per- able debt, and each year preventing Madam Speaker, the cost of college cent rate. Under this legislation, how- 200,000 of them from going to college at education is becoming the great sepa- ever, no borrower will get more than all. By failing to make education af- rator in American society. It threatens one year of the 3.4 percent rate. And fordable, we are telling them we aren’t to make access to the American Dream what happens in 2012? The rate goes interested in them or what they have a matter of means and not merit. If we right back up to 6.8 percent. Bait and to offer. let that happen, then we guarantee the switch. It is a shell game. It will result The University of Louisville is decline of American competitiveness in damaging cuts to the program that among a handful of universities which and risk a slow and steady slide into has worked well for the vast majority have developed programs to help low mediocrity. of colleges in this country and in my income students who have dem- We can do better, and today we will own district, and not one single new onstrated exemplary potential. Their do better. By passing the College Stu- undergraduate will be helped by this cardinal covenant is an innovative and dent Relief Act of 2007 and cutting the legislation. Not one. It is the fulfill- necessary initiative. Programs like interest rates on student loans, we will ment of a hollow promise. Very, very these can be an excellent supplement take an important step in providing sad. to sound national policy but cannot fairness and opportunity to the next And it is the principle. Finally, as substitute for our responsibility to en- generation. matter of principle, Madam Speaker, sure that the capable and dedicated are I want to tell you about a woman I this proposal is a political gimmick. also educated. met in Maryland during my campaign.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:45 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.068 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H610 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 She is the mother of three college age Now, it is an issue we ought to be By passing this bill, students start- students, a professional woman who dealing with, because college tuition, I ing school this year will be saving an works here in D.C. She came up to me, have two kids in college, has gone up average of $2,490 a year and by 2011 we she looked me right in the eye, she four times the rate of inflation. But will be saving students an average of said, ‘‘I have three children who are this is not the solution. This is merely $4,830 over the life of their loans. going to college and I can’t afford it.’’ talk and press and not substance. I urge all of my colleagues to vote And then she said, ‘‘I did everything Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. ‘‘yes’’ on H.R. 5. Help our students pur- they told me I was supposed to do. I Madam Speaker, I yield myself 1 sue their dreams and build our coun- worked three jobs, my husband and I minute. try. between us, we saved our money, and I just say it is an interesting discus- Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I we told our kids if you work hard and sion, but people who are betting with yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from study, you can make it in America. real money have a different discussion Iowa (Mr. LATHAM). And now we can’t afford college.’’ of this legislation. What they have Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I What she was saying is what millions said, the investment houses that are thank the ranking member. of Americans are saying, which is we advising their people whether or not to Madam Speaker, I rise today in tepid worked hard and played by the rules, buy stock in student loan lenders and support of H.R. 5, the College Student and then we found out we couldn’t others, have said that what we have Relief Act. As a result of this measure, make it. done is absolutely manageable by these approximately 55,000 subsidized Staf- Madam Speaker, we have a chance lenders. And, in fact, they were quite ford loan borrowers in Iowa, many of today to begin restoring the bargain surprised that the committee had as whom attend Iowa State University with America that so many fear is in light a touch on these lenders as we and other colleges in my district, will jeopardy. No student who works hard did. And that is interesting, because have their interest rates reduced upon and achieves should be denied the op- those are people who are advising mu- entering repayment after graduation. portunity to attend college because tual funds and others whether or not to The savings college graduates will re- they cannot afford it. Our country buy the various lenders, and theirs was alize through this interest rate cut, ap- needs these young people if we are that this is essentially a neutral act proximately $2,300 for students starting going to be strong. I urge passage of and very manageable by those compa- school this upcoming academic year, is H.R. 5. nies. commendable and deserves our support. Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I am And so I think we ought to have it However, any statements implying happy to yield 2 minutes to our friend not what the political politicians are that this measure makes college more from California (Mr. CAMPBELL). affordable or more accessible, those Mr. CAMPBELL of California. I saying but what people who are betting with their money are saying. statements are simply incorrect. Sev- thank the gentleman very much. eral Members have made such state- This is a press release. It doesn’t Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to ments and the official Website of the matter what press release it is, it is the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Democrat Caucus also claims the bill just a press release. Which means, it CAPPS). ‘‘makes college more accessible and af- says something, argues a position on Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I fordable.’’ The fact is this legislation an issue, and it is on a piece of paper, thank my colleague for yielding and does neither. but it doesn’t actually do anything. It for his leadership on this issue which is How can a reduction in student loan just talks about things. so important. What is before us, this bill, is like a Madam Speaker, I rise today in interest rates make education more ac- press release. It makes an argument, it strong support of this legislation to re- cessible when students do not feel the is on a piece of paper, but doesn’t real- duce interest rates for student loans. effect of the rate cuts while they at- ly do anything. In my previous careers, I spent years tend school? Only after the students I heard everyone on the other side of teaching and caring for students from are through school and enter repay- the aisle here talk about how people all walks of life. I have seen firsthand ment will they be able to take advan- can’t afford to pay for college. Well, the value of quality education for all tage of the provisions of this bill. So this bill doesn’t help people pay for col- students. A lack of good education H.R. 5 does not expand college access lege. It claims to help them reduce hurts not only today’s students and to- for a single Iowa student in any way. their interest rate once they are col- morrow’s workers, it hurts our coun- Further, any claim that this measure lege graduates, after they are out of try’s efforts to remain competitive in makes college more affordable is pure college, but it certainly doesn’t help an increasingly global market. conjecture. Institutions of higher edu- you pay for college while you are there. Madam Speaker, college is not for ev- cation have been increasing tuition at I have also heard the argument that eryone, and not everyone needs a de- an alarming rate, 35 percent in the past it cuts the rate for student loans in gree to achieve their goals, but no one 5 years. According to the Department half, and in fact it does: For 6 months, should be denied an education simply of Education, financial barriers will 5 years from now. For 6 months, 5 years because they can’t afford the cost of prevent 4.4 million students from at- from now, it cuts the rate in half, but tuition or because they fear being over- tending a 4-year public college and pre- the rest of the time the rate is either burdened by tens of thousands of dol- vent another 2 million from attending the same as it is now or somewhere in lars in student loans over the years. We any college at all over the next decade. between those two. So let’s not say have all seen the rising cost of edu- Unfortunately, the Democrat major- that it cuts it in half. cation; 41 percent increase in the last 6 ity did not make any amendments that And, to its credit, the bill is cost neu- years alone. might actually make college education tral. Now, cost neutral, it doesn’t cost more affordable, including Ranking 1500 the government anything because al- b Member MCKEON’s College Afford- though it cuts interest rates to some Students today graduate with great- ability and Transparency Act, which degree, it also raises or reduces sub- er and greater debt, which not only would hold schools accountable for the sidies on fees. So it is like I give you a hamstrings them but also makes it huge cost hikes that they implement dollar with less interest rate and then hard for occupations that need highly year after year, in order under the rule. I take that dollar out of your other skilled graduates but can only afford If recent pricing trends continue, any pocket with less fees. If it doesn’t cost modest salaries. For example, nearly 32 savings college graduates might enjoy anything, net, how is it supposed to percent of graduates pursuing teaching from interest rate cuts will be negated help someone, net, pay for the pro- careers can’t afford to repay their stu- within 3 years before the 3.4 percent in- gram? And because, perhaps, some of dent loans on a starting teacher’s sal- terest rate takes effect. the loan providers could choose to ab- ary. And if new graduates can’t afford Madam Speaker, I am proud that the sorb some of these fees if they did that, to work in the careers where we need Republican-led Congress tripled stu- then it would likely result in less stu- them the most, like teaching, nursing dent aid over the last 10 years, and I dent loans. You know, this is not a bill, or in social work, then all Americans fully support measures that make col- it is a press release. will suffer. lege education more accessible and

VerDate Aug 31 2005 02:45 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.070 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H611 more affordable for America’s working we were taking these steps to reduce cause your loan interest will not be families. But this legislation falls woe- the interest rate on student loans. cut. fully short of those important goals She thanked me for the actions we Another thing that the chairman and is nothing but a cheap, or I should have taken during these first 100 hours mentioned was that there was an arti- say a very expensive PR measure that of this Congress to change the direc- cle, a Wall Street analyst referring to allows Congress to get into the busi- tion of this Nation and to change the this felt that it was okay, that this ness of setting student loan interest focus and the cost of higher education wouldn’t hurt and you could still buy rates based on campaign promises, not for the millions of hardworking Ameri- mutual funds and everybody would get on sound fiscal or education policy. cans in this country who want to send along just fine. I read the same article, I had hoped that the Democrat ma- their kids to college just as she does. and I think he was referring to Sallie jority would actually fulfill the prom- This is a bill that helps so many Mae, the giant, the largest lender, and ise to make college education more ac- Americans that people approach Mem- he said he felt they would be okay, es- cessible and affordable. I guess I hoped bers at swim-and-dive meets. They ap- pecially based on the promise that the for too much. preciate this bill, and I would urge ev- hit was going to be for $60 billion, and Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. eryone in this Congress to support H.R. when the bill was finally written last I yield myself 1 minute. 5. Friday it was $6 billion. He was com- I find it very interesting that my col- Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I paring what they will have to live with leagues on the other side of the aisle yield myself such time as I may con- versus what the original promise was keep coming to the floor and saying sume to respond to some of the com- of the $60 billion cut which would have this won’t help a single student. You ments of my good friend, Chairman cut all student loans in half instead of know who thinks this will help a single MILLER. reducing year by year a little amount student, and in fact this will help 5 He mentioned that Republicans keep until we get to only the subsidized million students, are the students, the coming to the floor and saying this loans and only for 6 months that they students who are getting ready to take won’t help students. Let me get away enjoy that cut before it goes back up to out the loans to borrow money to pay from Republicans and just read a few the 6.8 percent. the tuition, to pay their college costs. comments of people from the press. Madam Speaker, I reserve the bal- They overwhelmingly support this leg- The first is in the Chronicle of Higher ance of my time. islation because it will help them and Education. The quote is: ‘‘The question Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. their families finance their education. is, What are you achieving by cutting Madam Speaker, I yield myself 30 sec- So apparently it won’t help Repub- the interest rate? asked Jamie P. onds. lican Members of Congress, but it will Merisotis, President of the Institute So under the gentleman’s theory, ap- help students and that is why the stu- for Higher Education Policy, a Wash- parently the Republican repeal of the dents support it. That is why we call ington-based research group.’’ Not Re- estate tax is only good for one day be- them ‘‘student loans’’ because they go publican. He stated, ‘‘You are not en- cause you have a sunset on it. to students and then the students have couraging any more students to go to And when the gentleman says one of to pay them back. You say they don’t college because you are cutting the in- the pundits, as opposed to a student have to pay it back until after they terest rate on loans that students have who is going to get value for this, one graduate. Yes, but they borrowed the already taken out.’’ of the pundits says this isn’t good be- money their freshman year, their soph- Another one, Sandy Baum, a senior cause it is on existing loans, no, it is omore year, their junior year, and policy analyst at the College Board and on new loans. their senior year. They got the benefit. an economics professor at Skidmore So the pundits don’t like it, the Re- They were the students. So the stu- College, said the interest-rate pro- publican Members of Congress don’t dents have decided that this bill is posals ‘‘costs a ton of money and is not like it, but the students like this. Hey, good, and it is really good for them, a well-targeted policy.’’ That was in a novel idea. Let’s do something the and it will make college more afford- Chronicle of Higher Education. students like that they think will help able for them and it will allow more of In Congress Daily: ‘‘The much-touted to make college education affordable. their colleagues to participate in going Democratic measure to slash in half There is an idea. Let’s vote for that. to college because the overall cost of student loan interest rates over 5 years Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to that college education will be reduced has been drafted to offer only tem- Mr. MORAN of Virginia. through this legislation. porary relief with the lowest rate of 3.4 Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Madam Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to percent effective for only the last 6 Speaker, I thank the chairman, and I the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. months of 2011.’’ also thank Speaker PELOSI for making PERLMUTTER). Now since we didn’t have the oppor- this a national priority within our first Mr. PERLMUTTER. Madam Speaker, tunity to debate this bill in committee 100 hours agenda I thank the gentleman from California or explore it to any great extent, I can This is about the middle class and for the opportunity to speak on this only guess that the bill was crafted so those struggling to make it to the mid- bill. I rise in support of H.R. 5. that the 3.4 percent interest rate is dle class. Mr. MILLER, I can tell you that a sin- only in effect for half of that last aca- Frankly, I am stunned at the opposi- gle mom who talked to me this past demic year because the Democrats tion from the Republican side. I guess weekend also recognizes the value of know the interest rate cut is I shouldn’t be because the Republican this bill. This past Saturday, Madam unsustainable in that it would cost $22 Party opposed the GI Bill of Rights Speaker, I was at one of my daughter’s billion if it ran for 10 years. half a century ago which in so many swim-and-dive meets in Arvada, Colo- Another thing that was mentioned is ways created the middle class in this rado, and a woman whose kids have that this will cut all student loans by country by enabling soldiers coming gone to school with mine approached half. I am hopeful that those students back from World War II to be able to me and she thanked me for the action that are now in college that will ben- afford to go to college. that we are taking reducing interest efit from this at some point out in the I guess I shouldn’t be stunned either rates on student loans. She told me future when they become graduates given the fact that when 9 months ago that one of her kids is in college now, will check to see if they are in a sub- Chairman Miller suggested that we in- and she has another one that will be sidized loan because they are the ones crease the value of Pell Grants for low going in a couple of years. She is a sin- that will be covered. They should also income families and reduce the cost of gle mom, and her kids have done well check when they graduate to see what student borrowing, it failed on vir- in school, but the cost of college has interest rate they will pay because tually a party-line vote 220–200. become prohibitive for their entire again this just takes effect year by I guess I shouldn’t be stunned either family. She said her kids have been ex- year. It doesn’t reach the ultimate half because 6 months ago, the White House cellent students, but she was fearful until 51⁄2 years from now. And also, and what was then the majority Con- they could not get into college and be those who are not on subsidized loans, gress, decided it was more important to able to pay for it. She was very happy don’t get too excited about this be- give tax breaks to the very wealthiest

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:43 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.071 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H612 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 people in this country than to give providing relief where it is needed might be useful to take a few minutes some help to those middle class and most, while at the same time creating to be perfectly clear about where Mem- working class, families who couldn’t incentives to attend college for those bers on this side of the aisle stand afford to go to college. Then they took who otherwise might not, and we are when it comes to expanding college ac- $12 billion out of college student aid to doing it in a fiscally responsible way cess. pay for those tax cuts. You have to ask by meeting the pay-as-you-go require- Now, I was really interested in the yourself, where are there priorities? ments. gentlewoman from Nevada’s discussion You know, the cost of college has Madam Speaker, the message from about her family, because that is the gone up by more than the cost of America is clear. The time to act is beautiful thing about this country, health care. It has gone up by more now. I urge my colleagues to support that you do have the opportunity to go than the cost of inflation per capita this measure and provide needed finan- to college. My dad, during the Depres- personal income and by more than the cial relief to the hardworking, middle- sion, didn’t have the opportunity and cost even of health care. class families and students who need it my mother didn’t have the oppor- b 1515 most. tunity. I was the only one of five sons Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. The fact is, right now, here in Janu- that was able to graduate from college. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to It took me 30 years. I graduated with ary, there are hundreds of thousands of the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. families trying to decide whether they my oldest daughter. BERKLEY). can send their child to college. How We have six children. Four of them Ms. BERKLEY. Madam Speaker, I have graduated from college and two can they afford it? And there are also thank the gentleman for introducing any number of college students trying are still working on it. We have 28 this legislation. I am a granddaughter grandchildren. So I have a big interest to decide whether they can become a of immigrants to this country that teacher or work in health care or any in the opportunities of education, and I couldn’t speak English. They had no am hopeful that all of my grand- other number of professions we criti- education when they came to the cally need because they have to pay off children will be able to get an edu- United States. The only thing they had cation. their college student loans and those was a dream, and that dream was that professions generally don’t pay enough. Before Republicans gained control of their children and their children’s chil- the House in 1995, there had been no se- This is the right thing for America. dren would lead a better life here in the It will make America stronger and rious congressional effort to address United States. the issue of rising college costs or even smarter. My father has a 9th grade education discuss it. We have seen the charts. We Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I because he had to quit school in order have seen how from the time Pell yield myself such time as I may con- to support his widowed mother and five Grants were instituted, all the time sume just to respond a little to the brothers and sisters during the Depres- that the Democrats were in charge, gentleman. sion. So my father had no education He talked about the $12 billion in they got the Pell Grants up to $2,000. In and my mother graduated high school, cuts. Yes, we cut $12 billion out of the the 12 years that we had the majority, but the one thing they stressed in our lenders, and we put $9 billion of it back we more than doubled that and put home was that their children would get into students. Not graduates, students. much more money into Pell Grant re- a good education. Madam Speaker, I reserve the bal- lief and to other student aid projects. Now, my dad was a waiter all the ance of my time. years I was growing up. And if it hadn’t Similarly, there has been very little Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. discussion on whether our colleges or Madam Speaker, I yield myself 15 sec- been for Federal loans to help me get through college and law school, I guar- universities were producing graduates onds to correct the record. who were ready for the job market. In You took $20 billion out of the lend- antee I wouldn’t be sitting here as a Member of the United States House of fact, the entire American competitive- ers and put some back. And the rest of ness discussion we are having these it you just took off with, and that Representatives. For the people I represent, most of days was not on the minds of those in- could have been used. side the Beltway at that time. But over Mr. MCKEON. For deficit reduction. the students that attend college in Ne- vada are first-generation college-goers, the course of the past decade, we have Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. made it a priority, often working in a No, no, no, to pay for your tax cuts, just like I was. Their parents work in the casinos, they work in the service bipartisan fashion. We gathered facts, which was driving the deficit. talked within the higher education Mr. MCKEON. Deficit reduction. industry, and they didn’t get an edu- Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. cation, but they want their kids to. So community, and worked to craft legis- That was your priority. You are wel- these are the people that we are talk- lation that represented a fresh ap- come to do it. ing about. proach to policy. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to There are almost 11,000 students that In fact, as I said earlier, we have been the gentleman from New York (Mr. are similarly situated to what I was talking about student loan interests. ARCURI). when I was a student at the University And when we did the reauthorization in Mr. ARCURI. Thank you, Mr. Chair- of Nevada, Las Vegas. There are 11,000 1998, in a bipartisan way, we came up man, for yielding. of them that are depending on these with the lowest interest rate in his- Madam Speaker, I rise today in Federal subsidized loans. Of those tory, which has afforded many, many strong support of legislation that is 11,000, they are going to benefit if we more students the opportunity to go to very important to the many colleges pass this legislation to the tune of school. But what we came up with was and institutions in my district in up- $2,300 over the life of that loan. That is something that was not necessarily state New York. a substantial amount of money when revolutionary, but at the same time, it The legislation before us is a promise you are a first-generation college-goer was vitally important. made to the American people, a prom- and your family works as a waiter or It was a two-pronged approach. First, ise to make college more affordable to waitress or a keno runner in a Nevada we made an unprecedented commit- the Nation’s future leaders and to the casino. ment to student aid, and today our ef- people that need it most, the middle- I cannot understand how anybody forts are paying off. Some $90 billion in class families. We are doing that by would think cutting an interest rate in Federal resources currently fund stu- cutting student loans in half over the half would not be a benefit to these dent aid programs, from loans and next 5 years. students. I wholeheartedly endorse this grants to work-study programs and It is no secret that rising tuition fees legislation, and I urge all of my col- education tax benefits. That is nearly are making it more difficult for stu- leagues to support it. triple what it was just a decade ago. dents to attend college. In response, we Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, since And within that $90 billion is a record are taking action today to alleviate the Republican majority’s record on $13 billion for Pell Grants, a two-thirds the heavy financial burden many stu- student aid has been one of the things increase over the past decade. That is a dents face after graduation when the we have focused on today, as well as record we should be proud of. loan collector comes knocking on their the Democratic leadership’s rhetoric On top of that, we have also elimi- door. Through this legislation, we are over the past few years, I believe it nated a troubling shortfall in the Pell

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:43 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.073 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H613 program, placing it on a sound finan- don’t want to answer these questions. for bringing this bill to the floor. We cial foundation for years to come. Be- They want us to just leave them alone, campaigned on the fact that we would yond that, just last year alone we en- send more money. But you know what? do certain things; one of those was to acted legislation to increase loan lim- We were and are right to demand such try to bring down college costs as they its to give students access to more fi- accountability, and we will continue to escalate throughout this country. All nancial aid; reduce loan fees so stu- do so. of us heard, throughout this country, dents can keep more of what they bor- I wish we were able, as part of this parents who came up to us, students row, and this is students I am talking debate, but the closed process under who came up to us and said, Mr. about, money they can put in their which we are operating won’t allow HOYER, Mr. MILLER, Mr. MCKEON, we pockets; established $4.5 billion in new that possibility. Still, I look forward to need that done. Mr. WICKER, we need grant aid for low-income students working with my colleagues on both that done. studying math, science, and critical sides of the aisle as we do so in the This bill is not perfect. It doesn’t go foreign languages, as well as high- weeks and months to come. as far as some would like. Frankly, I achieving Pell eligible high school stu- Madam Speaker, I reserve the bal- would like to have very substantial im- dents; and we permanently expanded ance of my time. pact on the Pell Grants, but we have loan relief for highly qualified math, The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without adopted pay-as-you-go because we science, and special education teachers objection, the gentlewoman from Cali- think you need to pay for what you who commit to teaching in high-need fornia (Mrs. DAVIS) now controls the buy. So we are constrained. But I hear K–12 schools for 5 years. These are time for the majority. people saying this isn’t going to do things that really help us in K–12 and There was no objection. anything for anybody. I disagree with in higher education. Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam that. To pay for these new student loan Speaker, I yield myself such time as I Madam Speaker, our Nation’s eco- benefits, which again included $4.5 bil- may consume. nomic security and future prosperity lion in new grant aid for our Pell stu- Madam Speaker, I rise in strong sup- are inextricably bound to our ability to dents, we reduced the subsidies paid to port of the College Student Relief Act compete in the global marketplace. student loan lenders by more than $20 of 2007. This legislation makes college And in the 21st century, a century in billion, as the chairman previously more affordable and higher education which knowledge, skills and creativity stated. We need to be thoughtful about more accessible for all Americans. But are key, our competitiveness neces- increased cuts to the private sector so the bill, as we know, will do much sitates a highly educated citizenry. that we don’t leave students with the more than help Americans make it to As the journalist and author Tom poorly run direct loan program as their college. As we know, graduates today Friedman has observed, and I quote, only option. often spend years paying off their ‘‘The main challenge to America today In short, Madam Speaker, our com- loans. comes from the fact that all the walls mitment to student aid has never been This fall, a young woman named are being taken down and many other stronger. Anyone who says otherwise Amy wrote to me and explained the people can now compete and collabo- simply is not being candid. challenges her family faces. Their in- rate with us much more directly.’’ In The second and equally important come is over $60,000 a year. She pays fact, he has observed that the world is part of our two-pronged approach to $700 a month in student loans. I am an flat. That means we are more competi- expand college access gets to the heart attorney, she wrote, and my student tive. That means that we need to be of the college cost crisis itself, the ac- loans are killing me. Without help, I better able to compete. That means tual cost of a college education. This is risk never buying a home or being able that our young people need to be better what we really should be talking a lot to save for retirement. educated. That means that we need to more about instead of trying to get a By reducing interest rates, those who give them access to affordable, quality little, small reduction in the interest graduate from college will save more higher education. rate. We should be trying to cut the than $4,500 over the life of their loan. Former President Clinton also has total cost. Lower interest rates also mean that remarked that, and I quote, ‘‘We are In short, we are aiming to bring college graduates will have more living in a world where what you can greater accountability to an unchecked money to contribute to the economy, earn is the function of what you can system so that consumers of a higher start innovative businesses, that kind learn.’’ I think all of us agree with education have more information than of competition we talked about, and that. That is not a debating item. It is, ever before about the cost of a college save for their retirements. Do we really education. As a result, we have dra- how do we get there? want to discourage our young people Today, Madam Speaker, I am pleased matically shifted the college cost de- from taking the kinds of career risks bate. A decade ago, the interest of stu- to support this legislation, the College that bring a benefit to society? Student Relief Act of 2007, which is the dents and colleges were seen as iden- This Congress has an opportunity to first step by House Democrats to make tical, and the conventional wisdom was help a new generation become engi- that colleges knew what was best for college more affordable and accessible. neers, doctors, business leaders, teach- In short, this bill will cut interest students. A decade ago, the higher edu- ers, public servants, or whatever they cation establishment made clear that rates on need based Federal student dream of becoming. So let us not loans for undergraduate students from simply adding more Federal student shackle young adults with spiraling aid was the solution to the problem of 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent over 5 years. debt just as they reach independence. I Why over 5 years? Because we have got rising costs and that there was no urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5. point in questioning why costs rose. to pay for it. It would be very nice to Today, while we maintain an unprec- b 1530 do it like that if we could pay for it. edented commitment to student aid, Madam Speaker, I reserve the bal- But we are in a position where we are we have also identified students, par- ance of my time. in deep debt. We can’t do that. ents, taxpayers, community organiza- Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, may I This legislation will cut the cost of tions, and employers as legitimate inquire as to the time that we have re- college for an estimated 5.5 million un- stakeholders in the outcomes produced maining. dergraduate students and their fami- by our higher education system. We are The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. lies. That is a significant number of asking hard questions of colleges, such DELAURO). The gentleman from Cali- people. And when fully phased in, it as why costs are so high, how success- fornia has 25 minutes remaining, and will save the typical borrower, with ful the college is in helping students the gentlewoman from California has $13,800 in need-based student loans, graduate on time, which helps keep 41 minutes remaining. $4,400 in savings over the life of the costs down, and whether the college Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam loan. will give them the skills needed to Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gen- Now, frankly, that is not a big sum compete successfully in the workplace. tleman from Maryland (Mr. HOYER). when you think of the life of the loan. Admittedly, we have gotten some Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I want I understand that. But, frankly, we blow-back. Some of these colleges to thank my friend, Chairman Miller, view large sums differently than some

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:43 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00039 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.076 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H614 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 others, but we make $165,000 a year. and then they go to 6.1 and then they resentatives, have a proud record of Very few Americans are so privileged. work their way down to 3.4. They will working to expand college access The irony of course is that at a time take how much they borrowed each through a two-pronged effort: Number when an education is more important year. They consolidate those loans. one, working to hold institutions more than ever to one’s success, the costs of They average those out, and they will accountable for their role in college attending college have continued to probably get a reduction of about like costs, and this bill does nothing to ad- skyrocket. For example, just since 2001 41⁄2 percent. And if they borrow the dress that whatsoever, and number the tuition and fees at public univer- maximum during that period of time, two, maintaining a historic bipartisan sities have increased 44 percent when they will end up with a savings of a lit- commitment to Federal student aid. adjusted for inflation, and tuition and tle over $2,000, not $4,400, as some are Under 12 years of a Republican major- fees at private universities have risen saying. ity in this House of Representatives we 17 percent. I think it is really important to real- have achieved record levels of overall Madam Speaker, we simply need to ly have the true facts out there so that student aid, more than tripled what it make a college education more afford- we don’t give people this idea that to- was a decade ago. We funded more Pell able and accessible, and this legislation morrow my interest rate is cut in half. Grants, a two-thirds increase over the helps us to do that. And also, that only pertains to the 50 past decade. In addition, the Repub- Let no one be mistaken, H.R. 5 is not percent of students that are borrowing lican record on student aid includes a panacea to the high costs of college on the subsidized basis. I know the new grant aid for Pell Grant students, education. But it is a good first step, promise during the campaign was, we higher loan limits to give students ac- and I know that Mr. MILLER and Mr. are going to cut student loans across cess to more financial aid, lower loan MCKEON are going to be looking at the board in half for all students. But fees so that students can keep more of ways and means to do better for our when you tested that out you found out what they borrow, tuition savings and students. it cost about $60 billion, and to comply deductibility, reduced student loan In the weeks ahead, House Democrats with the PAYGO they had to come payments and ending the single holder will continue to work on efforts to back with this reduced offer. rule, student loan relief for higher de- make college more affordable and to Again, it will help people that have mand teachers—and certainly, that is help our Nation maintain and strength- graduated from college, but those peo- something that we could have hearings en its leadership role in education and ple are already well on their way to re- about and have a bipartisan consensus the world economy. alizing the American Dream. If we about, Madam Speaker, targeting this Finally, I should note, Madam Speak- could just take this same amount of student aid to those students who plan er, that this bill contains no new costs money, the savings and try to help to go into difficult areas where there is for taxpayers. It meets all pay-as-you- those who are trying to get into col- a great need in this country—taxpayer go budget requirements, containing lege, that is probably the major dif- savings through fewer lender subsidies offsets that pay for the cost of cutting ference in our debate, is how we help and, finally, less fraud and abuse in interest rates. This legislation is sup- people get an opportunity, not those Federal student aid. ported by an overwhelming majority of who are now graduating and are bene- So I would submit that this party has Americans. Eighty-eight percent is the fiting from the college graduation and had a proud 12-year record of accom- figure, but whether or not they specifi- also benefiting from this reduced stu- plishment in student aid, and I could cally know about this legislation, the dent loan rate. not let the statements of my very good overwhelming majority of Americans Madam Speaker, I am happy now to friend from Virginia go uncontested. know that we have to bring the cost of yield to my friend from Mississippi We are all for helping students, for making college education more afford- college education down if we are going (Mr. WICKER) 4 minutes. to remain competitive. Mr. WICKER. Madam Speaker, I ex- able and more accessible and for help- I congratulate Mr. MILLER on his pect a lot of Members on both sides of ing move more people into a higher leadership, and I urge my colleagues on the aisle are going to vote for this leg- education and a better way of life for both sides of the aisle to support this islation. I can’t vote for it because it them and their families. And I don’t legislation as a step, a good step that doesn’t live up to the rhetoric that we think this bill gets us there. I think 12 we can take to make ourselves more have heard from the proponents of the years of Republican leadership is some- competitive and to give our students legislation in debate today. thing that we can all be proud of. So I greater access to college. If you want to come up with a bill to, will be voting against the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I indeed, make college more affordable objection, the gentleman from Cali- yield myself such time as I may con- for middle America, then count me in. fornia (Mr. GEORGE MILLER) now con- sume. If you want to improve access to a col- trols the time for the majority. I agree with much of what the major- lege education for millions and mil- There was no objection. ity leader just said. I think we do have lions of American young people, then Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. to expand access. We have to give op- count me in. If you want to do some- Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to portunities to students. thing about the very real problem of the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. My real concern is at the end of this slowing the growth rate of college tui- LEWIS). debate, I am hoping that students un- tion, which is really what we should be Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Madam derstand that the 6.8 percent interest getting at, then count me in. But I Speaker, I just want to take a moment, right now, tomorrow, doesn’t go to 3.4; don’t think this bill does any of that. just one moment, to thank Chairman even if the Senate were to act on this And frankly, I am afraid that in the MILLER on behalf of hundreds and thou- and pass this bill exactly, that it would end this legislation, if enacted, would sands of students attending the eight be almost 5 years, and then it only is actually make a college education colleges and universities in my district cut in half for a 6-month period. So more expensive. for bringing this legislation to the that if you look at how much they But I have to respond to some com- floor. They will be more than grateful really would save over the period of a ments made by my friend from Vir- to you forever for bringing this legisla- repayment, the way it works is when ginia, Mr. MORAN, just a few moments tion to the floor, and I want to thank they graduate, 6 months later, they ago to the effect that Republicans are you, Chairman MILLER. have to, or they have the opportunity not interested in helping Americans Madam Speaker, for too long the to consolidate their loans and they can get a college education, that we some- doors to our colleges and universities take all the loans because they get one how have a poor record in supporting have been closed to too many of our their first year, one the second year, student aid and higher education. I young people. Too many of our best third year, and if they go through in 4 would take strong exception to those and brightest cannot afford to go to years they probably up end up with remarks, and I would submit to the college, and those who do are buried four loans. They consolidate those contrary, Madam Speaker, that House under a mountain of debt when they loans and they will take the interest Republicans, over 12 years of Repub- graduate. Today we can ease that bur- rates, well, anyway, they are 6.8 now, lican majorities in this House of Rep- den. Today we can make colleges and

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:58 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00040 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.078 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H615 universities more affordable by passing ficult to repay has pushed many His- creasingly turning to loans as the primary H.R. 5. The best and brightest Amer- panic students into attendance pat- mechanism to finance a higher education. ican minds, rich and poor, all of our terns that jeopardize their ability to While student loans make the college dream a children, must have access to higher persist until graduation. Nevertheless, reality for millions, they all too often turn into education. Our young people will be according to the report, ‘‘How Latino a nightmare of debt. competing with young people from Students Pay for College, Excelencia in Over the past eight years the typical student around the world, not just on this little Education,’’ the average loan amounts loan debt has more than doubled to approxi- piece of real estate we call America, exceeded the average grant amounts by mately $19,000. In addition, 39 percent of all but from around the world, and they more than $1,800. student borrowers now graduate with unman- must have every opportunity to suc- It is of critical importance to the ageable debt levels. Too many student bor- ceed. I am the first person in my fam- Hispanic community that we provide rowers struggle to make their monthly loan ily to finish high school, to go to col- assurances to borrowers that there are payments, and many must forgo savings, pub- lege. protections to help them meet their lic service careers, and home ownership. student loan obligations. We are com- Borrowing for higher education should be a b 1545 mitted to addressing the other pieces sound investment for the future, both for the I worked in a kitchen washing dishes, of the access and affordability puzzle as student, and our society. Yet, today we are pots and pans, serving food, working as well. We will move forward to ensure asking far too many students to mortgage their a janitor. That is how I made it that academic preparation is no longer future at too high a cost. through school. But today, hundreds of a missing piece of the puzzle. I am proud to support this legislation which thousands of our young people cannot The Advisory Committee on Student will help ease the burden of student loans. make it because of the debt, because of Financial Assistance estimates that in H.R. 5 will cut the interest rate for subsidized the high cost of student loans. Amer- 2003 more than 400,000 college-qualified student loans in half to 3.4 percent. For a stu- ican students should never, never be low-income students did not enroll in a dent with $13,800 in student loans, this will turned away from college because they 4-year college and 170,000 did not enroll save them $4,400 in interest over the life of cannot afford it. in any college at all because of finan- their loan and will help make the college It is unacceptable, it is a shame, it is cial barriers. dream a viable reality for countless students. a disgrace that our country is willing We here in the 110th will right a I have been working in Congress to do just to spend millions and billions of dollars wrong and place savings from the stu- that. I have been pushing for legislation that to fight a war in Iraq that we know is dent loan program where they belong, will not only make student financial aid more a mistake, while the doors to our col- with our low- and middle-income stu- flexible for students but also ease the financial leges and universities are closed to too dents. I urge my colleagues on both burden of student loans. many of our young people. sides of the aisle to support this down For instance, I have been pushing for pas- Vote ‘‘yes’’ on H.R. 5, vote for Amer- payment on college access and afford- sage of the Student Loan Interest Full Deduct- ica’s future. Vote for our young people. ability and to vote ‘‘yes’’ on H.R. 5. ibility Act, which would allow eligible taxpayers The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Mr. MCKEON. Mr. Speaker, I yield to deduct the full amount of their student loan PASCRELL). The time remaining for Mr. myself such time as I may consume to interest and would remove the current income respond to my good friend from Texas, MILLER from California is 38 minutes. cap limiting the deduction. Current law only al- whom I have worked with in the 1998 Mr. MCKEON from California has 181⁄2 lows for $2,500 to be deducted, even though reauthorization when we helped the minutes. many students pay thousands more each year Hispanics, adding the title that helped Mr. MCKEON. Mr. Speaker, maybe if in student loan interest, and phases out this the Hispanic community. He was one of I reserve for a while, you can catch up deduction if a taxpayer’s income is greater the strong leaders that really helped with us a little bit. $50,000 a year. Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. his people and community. We worked I have also been advocating for the Com- together then. We worked together last Mr. Speaker, I yield 21⁄2 minutes to the munity College Partnership Act, which would gentleman from Texas (Mr. HINOJOSA), year in bringing the bill to the floor create partnerships between community col- a member of the committee. that unfortunately died in the Senate, leges and four-year institutions to encourage Mr. HINOJOSA. I want to thank but it would have reauthorized the students to continue their education at a col- Chairman MILLER for yielding time and Higher Education Act. lege or university. This is based on an Oregon I want to congratulate him. I under- for bringing the bill to the House floor. idea where colleges noticed their students stand he is going to be the chairman of Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in were taking classes in non-traditional ways. the subcommittee in this Congress, and support of H.R. 5, the College Student Students would take classes at a community I am looking forward to working with Debt Relief Act of 2007. Last year, the college in the morning, go to work, and then 109th Congress cut $12 billion from the him. But I just want to say one thing to take another class at a different campus at student loan programs. These savings straighten the record out, we took $20 night, or vice versa. However, in order to cre- were not reinvested in helping low- and billion in the Deficit Reduction Act ate such a class schedule, the students had to moderate-income families send their last year from the student lenders. We deal with two sets of administrations, two sets children to college. Instead, the $12 bil- put $9 billion of it back into student of paperwork, and two sets of financial aid. In lion from the student loan program services to help them; the balance we order to encourage more of these students to was used to underwrite the irrespon- used in the deficit reduction which re- continue and complete their studies at the 4- sible deficit spending generated by the sulted in the $71 billion decrease, the year institution, Portland State University tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. deficit right now, versus last year. partnered with neighboring community col- Those cuts severely hampered our Na- Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of leges to make this transition seamless through tion’s ability to close the college ac- my time. dual enrollment programs in which enrollees’ cess gap for Hispanics and other low- Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. class credits, financial aid, and administrative and moderate-income students. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of a unani- paperwork seamlessly transfer between the The 110th Congress has a new set of mous consent request, I yield to the schools. The Community College Partnership priorities. H.R. 5 will cut in half the in- gentleman from Oregon. Act expands on this idea by establishing a terest on subsidized student loans by (Mr. WU asked and was given permis- competitive grant program to encourage or ex- the year 2011. This legislation will save sion to revise and extend his remarks.) pand similar partnerships throughout the average borrowers $4,400 over the life of Mr. WU. Mr. Speaker, I rise in sup- United States. the loan. port of H.R. 5, the legislation to lower Finally, I am proud to be investigating the The student loan programs have be- student loan interest rates. high price of college textbooks. Recent news come an important piece of the access According to the Department of Education, reports have exposed what has long been ex- puzzle for Hispanic families. This inter- two-thirds of undergraduate students will take perienced by students and college bookstores: est rate reduction is part of the solu- out a Federal student loan this year to help fi- often the exact same college textbooks that tion. Hispanic students borrow less on nance their college education. American college students are required to buy average than other groups. The reluc- As tuition costs swell and grant-aid fails to for class are sold overseas for less than half tance to assume debt that could be dif- keep pace, students and their families are in- the price. This situation does not meet the test

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:42 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00041 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.081 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H616 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 of fairness and common sense, and it is espe- Lowering college costs is about ex- This is long overdue, and this is a cially troubling when one considers the sky- panding opportunity. It is what govern- meaningful response to students who rocketing cost of higher education in general ment should be all about. It is the rea- are seeking an equal opportunity. and of college textbooks in particular. It is in- son why the people in our communities I ask my colleagues to support H.R. creasingly common for students to pay in ex- send us here, to try to help them have 5. It is the right thing to do. It is long cess of $1,000 per school year for textbooks the opportunity to have an education overdue. and supplies alone. Last Congress, I was suc- for their children at a rate that they Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. cessful in getting the Government Account- can afford, an interest rate that they 5, the College Student Relief Act of 2007. This ability Office to investigate the high price of can afford. bill does much more than ease the burden of college textbooks and the disparity of prices Let’s help them with the college student loans for college graduates—it will between textbooks sold in the United States loans. This legislation deserves our make the American dream possible for the and overseas. The GAG report unmasked the support. children of more than 5.5 million working and problem of rising prices of college textbooks. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without middle-class Americans. Given this, Congressman BUCK MCKEON and I objection, the gentleman from Florida Mr. Speaker, in 21st century America, a col- commissioned the Advisory Committee on (Mr. KELLER) will control the time for lege education is critical for individual success Student Financial Assistance to further study the gentleman from California (Mr. and the strength of our nation. Higher edu- the problem and to develop solutions. MCKEON). cation is associated with better health, greater Again, I am pleased to support H.R. 5 today There was no objection. wealth and more vibrant civic participation, as because it will help address the rising cost of Mr. KELLER of Florida. Mr. Speak- well national economic competitiveness in to- college. We are at the dawn of a new econ- er, we will continue to reserve the day’s global environment. As the need for a omy—one that is based on knowledge. A time. college degree has grown, however, so has higher education is more important than ever Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. the cost of obtaining that education. The result in this economy. We must work on policies Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the is rising student debt. that not only improve access to a higher edu- gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. JACK- About 5.5 million students borrow sub- cation but also makes this education more af- SON-LEE). sidized Stafford loans every year. Of those fordable. That is what H.R. 5 is about, and I Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. borrowers, nearly 3.3 million attend four-year urge my colleagues to support it. Speaker, allow me to take a moment to public or private nonprofit institutions. The vast Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. thank Chairman Miller and the Demo- majority of these borrowers come from low- Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the cratic leadership for the powerful and middle-income families. According to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. groundwork that they are laying to Congressional Research Service, 75% of tra- DELAURO). provide relief to the Nation’s college ditional-aged borrowers with subsidized Staf- Ms. DELAURO. Mr. Speaker, of all students and aspiring college students ford loans come from families with incomes the barriers that families have faced seeking an opportunity. below $67,374. The median income for an these last several years, from the ris- Mr. Speaker, we have heard a number American family of four is $65,000. ing cost of health care and energy, to of Horatio Alger stories here on the H.R. 5 CUTS INTEREST RATES IN HALF the outsourcing of good-paying Amer- floor of the House, representing the Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 5 because it ican jobs, few have had as chilling an lives of so many of my colleagues, impact on opportunity as the sky- cuts the fixed interest rate on subsidized Staf- Democrats and Republicans, and I sa- ford loans for undergraduates from 6.8 percent rocketing cost of college tuition. The lute them. So many of us are first-gen- last 5 years, tuition at public univer- to 3.4 percent over the next five years. Loans eration college students who have had originated during the intervening five years sities shot up more than 40 percent. the opportunity to receive a degree in These kinds of financial barriers pre- would be set at fixed interest rates of 6.12 the Nation’s institutions of higher vent about 4.4 million high school grad- percent in 2007–2008, 5.44 percent in 2008– learning. uates from attending a 4-year public 2009, 4.76 percent in 2009–2010, 4.08 per- But let me cite for my friends and college over the next decade, 2 million cent in 2010–2011, and 3.4 percent from 2011 colleagues the landscape of the 21st high school graduates finding them- forward. After graduation, students could con- century when China is producing more selves unable to attend any college at solidate their loans into one loan at the engineers in 1 month than America is all. This, when the United States has weighted average of the interest rates of their producing in 1 year. It is a landscape talked about a proposed projected various loans. that my friends from the other side of shortage of up to 12 million college- Mr. Speaker, by lowering interest rates on the aisle created, for over the last cou- educated workers by 2020. subsidized Stafford loans, Congress can save There are so many challenges before ple of years, Pell Grants have had no college graduates thousands of dollars over us, breathtaking challenges that im- meaningful increase in the last 5 years. the life of their loans. For example: pact every American. This Congress Last year, the maximum Pell Grant The average four-year college student start- has to recognize how closely tied ac- was worth $900 less in inflation-ad- ing school in 2007 with subsidized Stafford cess to a quality education is to our justed terms than it was in 1975 and loans would save about $2,280 over the life of economic prosperity, our national se- 1976. Since 2001, Pell Grants have only his or her loans under the proposed legisla- curity, our civic health. Strengthening increased by $300. Yes, more students tion. those bonds, reaffirming our commit- are getting Pell Grants, Mr. Speaker, When the interest rate cut is fully phased in, ment to our Nation’s family, that is because more are eligible because they the average four-year college student starting what this legislation is about. Cutting are poor. school in 2011 with subsidized Stafford loans the interest rate for undergraduate So there has been no educational would save $4,420 over the life of his or her students with a subsidized student loan agenda, but I am delighted that we are loans. in half over the next 5 years, we can going to fix it for Texas. In the name of Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 5 because it will help 5.5 million students fulfill their my schools, Texas Southern Univer- bring relief to the more than 205,000 student dream. sity, the University of Houston, Rice loan borrowers in my state of Texas. Today, In Connecticut, more than 33,000 stu- University, Houston Baptist Univer- the average subsidized Stafford Loan debt for dents currently take out 4-year loans. sity, Houston Community College, a 4–year graduate of a Texas public college is They have an average debt of $14,200. North Harris Montgomery Community more $14,230. Under H.R. 5, the savings for We are going to help these youngsters College and University of St. Thomas, the average student starting school in Texas save more than $2,300 over the life of University of Houston-Downtown, we this year will be $2,350 over the life of his or the loan. will finally, for the 208,000 students in her Stafford Loan and more than $4,500 for a I happen to represent an area with Texas, bring down the cost of student student starting college in Texas in 2011. many first-rate universities. The time interest rates some $4,000 over the next Last year, the Republican-led Congress cut has come to make these universities 5 years. This is relief, and this is oppor- $12 billion in federal student aid to give tax and the lifetime of opportunity they tunity. cuts to the wealthy. H.R. 5 would serve to give unleash accessible to every American, We need to move quickly to pass this just a bit of that back by cutting interest rates to every parent who wants to send legislation to go to the Senate and, on student loans in half by 2011. It may seem their child to college. yes, to have the President’s signature. like just a small step, but reducing the interest

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:42 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A17JA7.026 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H617 rate on student loans from 6.8 percent to 3.4 Mr. KELLER of Florida. Madam the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. percent will do a lot for many Americans. Speaker, I continue to reserve the bal- NAPOLITANO). HIGH STUDENT DEBT DETERS COLLEGE GRADUATES ance of my time. Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Thank you, FROM BECOMING TEACHERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Chairman Miller. Mr. Speaker, recent graduates, especially Madam Speaker, I yield 21⁄2 minutes to Madam Speaker, following each those with low and moderate incomes, must the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. statement I will provide a translation spend the vast majority of their salaries on ne- PASCRELL). in Spanish. cessities such as rent, health care, and food. Mr. PASCRELL. Thank you, Mr. Today, I join my colleagues to sup- For borrowers struggling to cover basic costs, Chairman, for gathering support from port the College Student Relief Act, student loan repayment can create a signifi- both sides of the aisle. To those who H.R. 5. A competitive global economy cant and measurable impact on their lives. have said this is a Pyrrhic victory, I cannot be sustained without an edu- Crushing student debt also has societal con- ask them to look at the record here. cated workforce and the affordable sequences, Mr. Speaker. According to a report This is a victory for undergraduates education for those people. by two highly respected economists, Drs. Saul and future undergraduates. Hoy, acompan˜ o a mis colegas en Schwarz and Sandy Baum, the prospect of What I also hear on the other side is apoyar la propuesta. La economı´a burdensome debt likely deters skilled and that, perhaps, why are we waiting till competitiva global no se puede llevar dedicated college graduates from entering and students get out of school, why don’t acabo sin tener ciudadanos educados y staying in important careers educating our na- we do something about the tuition in hacer educacio´ n accesible. tion’s children and helping the country’s most school? We believe, most of us, on both Like many students from my dis- vulnerable populations. sides of the aisle, in the free market. trict, Jenna, a Pomona student, re- To solve this problem and ensure that high- You certainly aren’t suggesting that cently spoke of her $30,000 debt for her er education remains within reach for all we inject ourselves in what colleges post-graduate degree. Americans, we need to increase need based charge as tuition. I don’t think that is (En Espanol) Como muchos grant aid; make loan repayment fair and af- what you mean. But I don’t know what estudiantes de mi distrito, estudiante fordable; protect borrowers from usurious you mean. Jenna recientemente hablo´ sobre su lending practices; and provide incentives for What I do know is what I have heard deuda de 30 mil do´ lares, el costo para state governments and colleges to control tui- on the other side of the aisle from too obtener su licenciatura posgraduada. tion costs. H.R. 5 is an important step in a many that defend the lenders and not She is burdened not only by the high new and right direction for America. I urge my college students. cost of education tuition, the loan pay- colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 5, the Col- I am the first member of my family ments, but also by having to look for lege Student Relief Act of 2007. to have the opportunity to go to col- employment, much like many of the Mr. KELLER of Florida. Madam lege. I am a strong believer in the im- other minority and Hispanic peers. Speaker, I continue to reserve the bal- portance of higher education, like (En Espanol) No solo tiene la deuda ance of our time. many in this room today. Our success de su colegiatura y de su pre´stamo, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. tambie´n tiene que buscar empleo, como I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman in educating today’s generation of stu- dents will have a striking and lasting la mayorı´a de sus colegas Hispanas y from Oregon (Ms. HOOLEY). otras menorias. Ms. HOOLEY. Thank you, Mr. MIL- impact on the Nation’s success. Students like her will save $2,500 over LER, for yielding time. Americans have According to the Department of Edu- the life of their loan at no additional always seen access to higher education cation, financial concerns will prevent cost to the taxpayer. as one way to help them live out the 4.4 million high school graduates from (En Espanol) Sin costo adicional al American dream. Starting with the attending a 4-year college. That is not los que pagan impuestos, estudiantes Greatest Generation and the GI Bill, acceptable to anybody here. It will pre- podra´ n ahorrar ma´ s de $2,500 sobre el our Nation’s citizens have been able to vent another 2 million high school total del pre´stamo. pursue an education beyond high graduates from attending college at all It is time to help our students. Give school because of Federal assistance. at any time. That is not acceptable ei- Today’s job market is increasingly ther. them the aid they need. Lower the stu- knowledge driven, and people are de- As tuition and fees at 4-year public dent loan rates. I certainly want to en- ciding they need skills beyond what is colleges and universities have risen 41 sure that all my colleagues on both taught in high school. Whether it is 2 percent, after inflation, since 2001, the sides vote for this proposal, H.R. 5. years, 4 years, public, private or com- typical student now graduates with an Es tiempo que ayudemos a nuestros munity based, students are realizing enormous $17,500 in total Federal debt. estudiantes. Denles la ayuda there are economic benefits to expand- Besides what we are doing on interest ne´ce´sa´ ria!! Bajemos la tasa del ing their skill set beyond a high school rates, we will be working in the future, pre´stamo! education. An educated workforce will down the road, consolidating these Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. also stem the flight of jobs overseas. debts, providing some loan flexibility Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to When I meet with the college stu- within this program and loan forgive- the gentleman from California (Mr. dents in my district, one of their big- ness for many public service employees BACA). gest worries is, how am I going to pay who give their lives and put their lives Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, first of off my student loans. I was talking to on the line today. all, I would like to thank the chair- one young woman who had a great job. man, Mr. MILLER, for carrying this leg- b 1600 She said, I have to find a new job. She islation. It is very important to thou- said, there is no way I can keep this job In my home State of New Jersey, the sands of students and giving them the and still pay off my student loans. College Student Relief Act will save accessibility to education. It is about As college tuition continues to sky- students an average of $2,370 on inter- time. rocket, more and more students are est payments over the life of their loan As Chair of the Congressional His- turning to loans to help meet the costs. if the student starts school this Sep- panic Caucus, I believe this bill is a In my State, the average debt for stu- tember. And if the student starts good start in helping Hispanic students dents coming out of a 4-year school is school in 2011, he or she will save $4,600 across the Nation. I thank Congress- $15,000. This legislation will save those over the life of the loan. This is not man RUBE´ N HINOJOSA as Chair of the students, on average, $4,400 over the theory, this is not empty. This is sub- Congressional Hispanic Caucus Edu- life of the loan. stantial. cation Taskforce for working to ensure I applaud Chairman MILLER and his The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without Hispanic students have equal oppor- committee for the work they have done objection, the gentleman from Cali- tunity. Let’s make sure that college is on behalf of American students and re- fornia (Mr. MCKEON) will control the affordable and accessible for all stu- cent college graduates. They have done time for the minority. dents. the work necessary to prevent higher There was no objection. We need to prepare our students to education from again becoming a lux- Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. make sure that we have a workforce ury of just the wealthy. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to for the 21st century. The only way we

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:58 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00043 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A17JA7.027 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H618 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 can do that is to make sure that all ulation, and yet only represent 12 per- Many parents who want to send their students have access to affordable edu- cent of all undergraduates in U.S. col- children to college have to take on cation. leges and universities and only rep- large debt, rather than invest in homes We know that most of the students resent 5 percent of those students in or their retirement. right now are relying on student loans. graduate schools. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Forty-one percent right now have in- Of all undergraduate students en- you for the strong position you have creased the student loans since the rolled in the 2003–2004 academic year, 49 taken on the floor today as you have year 2001. So more students are relying percent of Latino undergraduates were presented this bill, and I would like to on student loans. We want to make more likely to be first-generation stu- ask my colleagues on the opposite side sure that it is affordable for every stu- dents, much like myself. Fifty-one per- of the aisle, if they had an opportunity dent. cent are enrolled on a part-time basis to reduce the interest rate on their Hispanics: 33 percent of Hispanics in and the majority are coming from low mortgage loans by 50 percent, on their their communities are under the age of income households. Yet Latinos receive automobile also by 50 percent, or any 18 and the number of Hispanics attend- the least financial aid of any ethnic of their other debt, would they think it ing colleges are growing in numbers. group in the country. was such a terrible thing, as they think We want to make sure that they have Latinos and other low income com- about this that we are doing today? access and an opportunity to fulfill munities deserve the security provided I ask my colleagues to support this their goals. It is not just about attend- by an affordable higher education. H.R. bill. ing college. It is about completing col- 5 is part of that solution. Cutting the Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. lege and making sure they become part interest rate on subsidized student Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to of our workforce. In order to have a loans in half from 6.8 percent to 3.4 per- the gentleman from Maine (Mr. strong America, we must make sure cent will make college more affordable ALLEN). that they fulfill their dream and oppor- for many thousands and thousands of Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I thank tunity. I am like many of those, the Latino students. the gentleman for yielding. first one out of a family of 15 that was A higher education should not be a Madam Speaker, I rise in strong sup- able to graduate; out of 15, the first one privilege and available only to the few. port of H.R. 5, the College Student Re- to graduate and obtain college. I went Today, we are fulfilling that promise lief Act. A college education is the through the military, obtained the GI by passing this bill, H.R. 5. foundation of economic mobility in bill, obtained loans. Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. America. College graduates enjoy high- We want to make sure it is accessible I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman er incomes, better career opportunities and individuals have that opportunity. from California (Ms. WATERS). and more financial stability. An educated nation is a successful na- Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I College has never been more impor- tion. The only way we can do that is thank the gentleman from California, tant than it is today and, sadly, never providing this service. Mr. MILLER, for this time. more expensive. But in the last few I encourage everyone to support H.R. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong sup- years Federal support for higher edu- 5. I thank Mr. MILLER for carrying this port of the College Student Relief Act, cation has declined. We have been mov- legislation and caring about many indi- a bill that will lower the interest rates ing in the wrong direction. viduals, and I thank my colleague that college students pay for subsidized That is why H.R. 5 is so critical. It across the aisle too as well, because he loans from the current fixed rate of 6.8 will save middle and low income stu- has cared about education. percent to 3.5 percent over 5 years. dents thousands of dollars in debt. The We need to support this legislation to This is a fair bill that pays for itself bill cuts the interest rates on federally make sure that every student has ac- by reducing the profit that the top subsidized Stafford loans in half over 5 cess to affordable education, to make lenders make from subsidizing loan years. It will save the average college sure that we have the workforce that debt, and it gives help to lower and student in Maine who starts school meets the needs of the 21st century. middle income students who want to go next fall $2,170 over the life of his or Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. to college but cannot afford it. her loan. Maine students starting in Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to The Project on Student Debt states 2011 or after will save an average of the gentlewoman from California (Ms. that over the past 10 years debt for $4,200. SOLIS). graduating college seniors has in- Sixty years ago, the GI bill sent a Ms. SOLIS. Madam Speaker, I also creased by 108 percent. For graduates generation of veterans to college. Thir- rise in strong support of H.R. 5. from public universities it has more ty years ago, Pell Grants and Stafford The high cost of education and the than doubled, increasing by 116 per- loans extended this opportunity to lack of adequate financial aid make ob- cent. more working class Americans. The fu- taining a higher education unattain- This bill is needed because we want ture economic prosperity of America able for many of America’s working students to receive a college education turns on giving today’s students the families, including Latinos. This has without the stress of leaving with mas- same opportunity. I urge my colleagues been a great challenge for us in the last sive amounts of debt that will force to support H.R. 5. decade. them into jobs just for the sake of sav- Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I Since 2001, tuition and fees have ing their credit. Furthermore, we do yield myself such time as I may con- jumped by 17 percent at private univer- not want students to decide not to sume just to respond to the words that sities and by 41 percent at public uni- enter college because they are afraid of we just heard. versities and student loan interest acquiring unmanageable debt. If a student in 5 years takes out a rates have risen by 2 percent. Accord- According to Baum and O’Malley, in loan, they will not save $4,000, because ing to the Congressional Advisory 2002, loan debt caused 14 percent to this ends at the end of 5 years and the Committee on Student Financial As- postpone marriage, 30 percent to post- 3.4 percent is only good for that 6 sistance, the cost of higher education pone buying a car, 21 percent to wait months, the last 6 months of the bill. will prevent 4.4 million high school on having children and 38 percent to Then the loan goes back up to 6.8 per- graduates from attending a 4-year pub- wait on buying a house. cent. So at the end of 5 years, the stu- lic college or institution. This bill chips away at the oppor- dent will be paying the same as they Obtaining a higher education is espe- tunity gap that keeps students of are now. cially difficult for Latinos, who face needy families and communities of We just have to keep the facts cor- low family incomes, low financial aid color at the bottom of the ladder of rect. The rhetoric is good, but we awards and a reluctance to assume success. Half of the students with Fed- should try to keep the facts correct. debt. The median household income for eral loans come from families with in- Madam Speaker, I would be happy to Latino families has fallen by over 4 comes between $26,000 and $68,000. The yield 6 minutes to my friend the gen- percent over the past 5 years. lower end of this range is close to the tleman from Georgia (Mr. KINGSTON). Latinos, as you know, represent national poverty level for a family of Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, I about 15 percent of the college-age pop- four of $20,000. thank the gentleman.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:42 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.085 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H619 As I sit here, I am reminded of the hear about a poll that is taken that for the cost of going to college, many story we have all heard about the guy says 90 percent of the people of Amer- of our young people find that their fu- who goes on the $100 cruise. He sees an ica believe in clean air. Oh, my good- ture is already mortgaged. advertisement for a $100 cruise. Like ness, 90 percent. Please tell me about Escalating costs for tuition, the text- all of us, especially a guy like me, I the 10 percent who do not believe in books, for the cost of gasoline to get to have never been on a cruise, he goes clean air. So when you hear the guy and from school and work, they all im- down to the dock real excited about it standing on the dock with the $100 pact who can afford the opportunity of and he gives the man $100. The man cruise, that this is good for education, higher education. pulls out a two-by-four, hits him over of course, it is good for education. Who It was Thomas Jefferson who urged the head, puts him on an inner tube does not want more kids to get a col- public support of higher education, and pushes him into the water. And he lege education? Because our kids today wanting the youth of all of our States is cruising along. After a while he are going to be competing against kids to, ‘‘drink from the cup of knowledge.’’ wakes up. He bumps into another guy from Tokyo, and from Moscow and But today, those students, thirsty for with an inner tube and he is rubbing from Beijing. knowledge, confront too often a his head. Finally, the first guy says to It is important in an international parched, unwelcoming desert of finan- the other guy, ‘‘Hey, do they serve global economy that we have kids that cial need and debt; and the last Repub- drinks on this cruise?’’ And the second are as competitive as possible, and that lican Congress just made matters guy says, ‘‘Well, they didn’t last year.’’ is why we have always worked on a bi- worse. Now, the point is, how vulnerable partisan basis. I mean, think about This bill represents a constructive could you be to do this twice? How vul- this. In 1995, when the Republican step forward in making the dream of nerable would these students be to be- Party took over the House, the Pell attending quality institutions a re- lieve what they are hearing about an Grant money was $2,340. We increased ality. It is a reality that will be there, interest rate that, it is true, it does go it the next year to $2,470, and now it is now available, for 47,000 students each year in Texas who choose not to get a to 3.4. It dips down to 3.4, and then it at $4,050. We did not do that only with higher education because of financial springs back up. Republican votes. We did it with Re- barriers. I only wish the stock that I owned in publican leadership, but the Democrats whatever my savings account is would It lends a hand to working parents were there with us. We think biparti- who want to earn a degree and provide dip down like that and then go imme- sanship is very important. diately back up the way the Democrat a better life for their children. In addition to that, we have together It lends a helping hand to a young Party is. worked on Perkins loans, on college But this bill had no hearings. A bro- person who is the first in her family to work student loans, on supplemental ken promise right off the bat. We see the inside of a college classroom. education grants. It is very important would have hearings, we would have And it lends a hand to middle-class that we as a bipartisan body come to- amendments. There are no amend- Americans who struggle to save for col- gether on education just like national ments, there are no hearings. lege while their cost of living con- What happens when you have no defense issues, because education no tinues to increase. hearings and no amendments? You can longer ends at the water line. It goes A skilled, productive workforce is an get to only what can be called the tuna internationally. investment in our future. We cannot fish clause. We know what the tuna So when we hear over and over again afford to leave higher education fish clause is. That is where there is that this bill will save a student $4,400 unaffordable to so many of our neigh- something embarrassing stuck in a bill over the life of the loan, it is abso- bors. that nobody quite understands. And I lutely mathematically impossible, and Pass this bill because our youth are think Mr. MCKEON over and over again maybe that is one thing we need more worth the investment. has pointed out what the tuna fish of, math education, so folks could tell Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I am clause is in this, and that is that the a fraud when they see it. happy to yield such time as he may 3.4 percent interest rate is only in ef- In order for you to save that kind of consume to the gentleman from Texas fect for 6 months, from 2011 to 2012. money, the 3.4 percent interest rate (Mr. CARTER). Now, I want to explain to the folks would have to stay in effect for years Mr. CARTER. Madam Speaker, I who haven’t been paying attention, at a time, but as Mr. MCKEON said over thank the gentleman for yielding. when we passed the minimum wage bill and over again, it is only in effect from Madam Speaker, I have here a copy the other day and we heard over and July 2011 to January 2012. That is the of three letters that I have received out over again how it was going to help tuna fish clause of this bill. of 500 letters I have received on this save the workers of America and how it If we had worked through commit- bill that we are addressing today, from was good for all, at the same time the tees on a bipartisan basis, regular my constituents in my district in cen- very people who were telling us what a order, hearings and amendments on the tral Texas. They are raising a lot of great bill it was had put in a scheme to floor, we could get rid of the tuna fish issues that they are very, very con- exempt the tuna fish industry from clause in this, and we want to do that. cerned about. The trend of the letters is, we were American Samoa, the very people who I am the son of a college professor, promised a 50 percent reduction in in- are telling us this is great for all. the brother of a college professor. I am the only one in my family who only terest rates for the money that we bor- b 1615 has an undergraduate degree. I believe rowed to go to school or that we are So it can be called the tuna fish in higher education. Who does not be- going to borrow to go to school and we clause. We are going to look for the lieve in higher education? But I also are not getting that. The only sub- tuna fish clause over and over again. believe in truth in representation and sidized loans for undergraduates fall in Now, one thing that we have not in bipartisanship. the category of this bill. They are con- talked about is that universities have I thank the gentleman. cerned about that. They are unhappy had a 35 percent inflation rate over the Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. and mad about that. last 5 years. That is relevant because Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to Then the cost of this bill comes out not everybody is going to go to college the gentleman from Texas (Mr. of the Federal Family Education Loan on a loan or on a scholarship, and so DOGGETT). Program, those other loans that are when you have a 35 percent inflation Mr. DOGGETT. Madam Speaker, I not being addressed in this bill, to re- rate, you have got to say, well, what thank the gentleman. duce the interest rate which was prom- does that do to the rest of the student Across America, our Nation’s young ised to the American people by the population. That is something the Re- people are burdened with this Presi- other party. This is a concern for peo- publican Party and, frankly, the Demo- dent’s misplaced priorities. With the ple in my district because many of crat Party should focus on, what can debacle in Iraq, many of our young peo- those people are going to school with we do to bring this under control. ple actually give their life or their the same financial burdens that they The second thing is, there has been a limb, and with the soaring national thought that were going to be ad- commitment on this. Frequently, you debt combined with the personal debt dressed by the bill, that are not being

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:42 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.087 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H620 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 addressed; and the programs that they Sallie Mae does a great job helping stu- $90 million in philanthropic giving to sup- work through are going to bear the dents and parents get the loans they need for port programs and initiatives that help open cost, which is going to make that mar- college. doors to higher education, prepare families ket weaker and less available for those Sallie Mae also works hard to help make for their college investment, and bridge the our community a better place and just re- gap when no one else can. students who have to go to that mar- ceived an important award from the Presi- As you move forward to help families af- ket so they can go to school. Quite dent for its community service. ford the rising college costs, I ask that you frankly, these letters are very con- Please continue to support the Field Pro- not dismantle the FFELP loan program that cerned about that. gram that has worked so well. has worked so well to help millions of Ameri- And then I have letters from people Thank you. cans go to college and achieve their dreams. who work in the FFELP program, who Sincerely, Thank you. are concerned about the fact that what DON MCCANNELL. Sincerely, this bill is going to do is put them out BLANCA VAZQUEZ. of work. Eight hundred people in my DECEMBER 18, 2006. Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Hon. JOHN CARTER, Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to district work in the student loan pro- House of Representatives, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. VAN gram and have expressed a concern Washington, DC. OLLEN that this bill will put them out of work DEAR REPRESENTATIVE: I’m a Sallie Mae H ). because it actually puts the burden of employee and now company officer, and have Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, taking care of the subsidized under- worked here for over 17 years. I’m really I thank my colleague, the chairman of graduate students on all the other Fed- proud of what I do at this company to assist the Education and Workforce Com- eral programs in fees and taxes that students to go to college. Not only do we mittee, Mr. MILLER, for his work on are added on. help students and their families but we give this and other education issues, as well So I have 500 letters in my office ex- back to our communities here in Texas. The as my other colleagues. pressing concern, three of which I have Killeen/Ft. Hood area benefits greatly. It is interesting to hear people talk As you get ready to start the new Con- with me. about the fact that this does not to- gress, I ask that you please remember the tally reduce the cost of going to col- When we tell the American people we great help that the guaranteed education are going to do something, we ought to loan program provides for our Nation’s stu- lege when, for the past many years, do it. This bill would be much more ac- dents. this body has not delivered on that ceptable, I think, to these people who Thanks for all your support of higher edu- commitment to the American people. have written me from my district if we cation. It’s priority for us and I know it’s a In the last campaign, we did make a were meeting the promise that was priority for you. commitment to reduce the cost of made to the American people, and, Thank you. going to college, and this bill is a fol- more importantly, to our college stu- Sincerely, low-through on that commitment, and DEBORAH J. BRAGG SATHER. dents, and addressed lowering interest we will reduce the cost. We know in this country that one of the greatest rates for everyone. DECEMBER 18, 2006. So I rise today on behalf of the 500 Hon. JOHN CARTER, impediments we have to people getting letters that I have received in my of- House of Representatives, ahead is the burden of the cost of col- fice since this bill came on the radar Washington, DC. lege tuition, a burden that has risen screen, and I rise on behalf of those of DEAR REPRESENTATIVE, I am a Sallie Mae dramatically over the years. us who wish we could have had some employee and have worked here in Killeen, Right now, many students who grad- input into this bill so that possibly we Texas for 15 years. I can say in all honesty, uate from college are faced with a big could have addressed these issues and I have never worked for a more caring, gen- debt burden that takes a long time to possibly we could have come up with erous and respectful company than Sallie retire, and even worse than that is the Mae. better solutions that would not deprive I am very proud of the part I play at this number of students who are deterred others of the ability to go to school. company to help students go to college. Not from even going to college in the first Finally, nothing is done here to ad- only do we help students and their families, place because of the cost of going to dress the real costs of education for our we give back to the community here at Sal- college and the debts they will incur. American students, which is also a lie Mae. This bill takes a significant step to- promise broken. When I tell my family and friends all the ward reducing that burden and opening So I rise here on behalf of the people charitable events we participate in, they are up the doors of opportunities. of central Texas to express our concern amazed. Their amazement is not because I We lose some of the very best and participate but because of the extent Sallie about promises broken. brightest in this country who have the I must oppose this legislation because of Mae the corporation participates, matching our donations (2:1), giving employees time ambition to go out and learn, who are the negative effects this program will have on off for fund raising and encouraging all em- qualified to go out there, who have the Federal Family Education Loan Program, ployees to give back to the community. I done the work and gotten the grades, FFELP, program. The new taxes and fees im- personally participate with, The American and because of the high costs are pro- posed by this legislation will devastate the Cancer Society, March of Dimes, United hibited from going forward. In fact, FFELP industry—an industry that has been Way, American Heart Association, Families about 4.4 million students are essen- proven successful by any imaginable meas- in Crisis and a few others. The giving doesn’t tially deterred from going to college it stop with our local communities, Sallie Mae urement. FFELP makes higher education is estimated over the next 10 years as a more affordable by using market forces to pro- reaches across the country to people in so many ways. result of these high costs. vide borrowers with the most competitive I had the privilege to participate in one of So, yes, during the last campaign rates. FFELP also works with students to the Sallie Mae Fund’s National Latino ‘‘Pay- this was a very, very important issue manage their debts, an effort that has led to ing for College’’ Bus Tour events. I cannot to the American people. Instead of rais- record-low default rates. By attacking the express in words how overwhelmed I was to ing the costs of going to college, in- FFELP industry, this language will cause de- see the company I work for reach out to stead of cutting $13 billion from higher creases and lender competition and affect the young Hispanic adults, showing them the education as was done in the last Con- ability of families to choose the lender that way to a better life through higher edu- cation. Thirty years ago, I was a young His- gresses, we said, we are going to turn best suits their needs. I wholeheartedly sup- that around; we are going to make it port attempts to lower the costs of higher edu- panic adult with parents who did not speak English and there was no ‘‘Sallie Mae’’ to easier for people to go to college; we cation, but the unspoken consequences of the help me find the path to higher education. are going to open the doors of oppor- bill will result in less competition and fewer op- Although I did not go to college, Sallie Mae tunity, not just because it is the right tions for these students. That is a con- has given me an opportunity to succeed and thing to do to make sure that every in- sequence I cannot support. achieve my goals in life. I have been able to dividual has the opportunity to reach DECEMBER 21, 2006. use the tools Sallie Mae has shared with his or her full potential, but because thousands of people to ensure my children Hon. JOHN CARTER, our Nation needs to make sure we do House of Representatives, follow that road to higher education. I do Washington, DC. not understand how Senator Kennedy and that in this competitive era. DEAR REPRESENTATIVE: I have worked at others can say Sallie Mae puts profits ahead Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I Sallie Mae for 17 years and am a supervisor of students. Over the past five years alone, yield myself such time as I may con- in Killeen, Texas. The Sallie Mae Fund has distributed nearly sume.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:58 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00046 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.089 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H621 Let me remark again, as I said ear- ing to put their way through school. dergraduate loans. It targets the lower lier, the Advisory Committee on Stu- Why don’t we focus some of that stuff and middle income students and their dent Financial Assistance issued a re- on the cost of an education rather than families with the most financial need port saying that 48 percent of our low- on just trying to save a few students and the least support. income high school students are not who have already graduated, who are The poor often get grants; the rich able to enter a 4-year university, and 22 already on the ladder to receiving the don’t need them. This bill would save percent of them cannot even get into a American Dream. that college borrower in the middle community college. I think we are in Madam Speaker, I reserve the bal- thousands of dollars. In my State in total agreement that we want to do ance of my time. Oregon, our students have the second what we can to help them get into Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. highest amount of debt in the country. school, and the numbers are not much I yield 21⁄2 minutes to the gentleman Over 40,000 Oregon students a year will different for the middle-income stu- from Oregon (Mr. BLUMENAUER). be substantially helped by this legisla- dents. Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, tion amongst the 51⁄2 million students The one thing that we are not really I appreciate the gentleman’s courtesy. around the country in times of sky- talking about too much is the cost of In listening to my friends from the rocketing tuition. the education. I am concerned that the other side of the aisle, first of all, I am Now, unlike the Republican approach young people are graduating from col- sorry my friend from Georgia is not of the last 12 years of cutting budgets lege with a mortgage and no home. here because I think I could tell him and cutting taxes and putting the tab This debate we are hearing is all about who the 10 percent are who don’t be- on the credit cards of our youth, this the interest rate on that mortgage, on lieve in clean air, at least I could di- bill is fully paid for by offsets. Five of that loan, but what we should really be rect him to people in the administra- these six were included in President addressing is the cost of higher edu- tion and to the committee leadership Bush’s fiscal year 2006 budget and have cation. on the other side of the aisle for the bipartisan support. We owe it to our students, our com- I would like to just mention a few last 12 years who proposed policies that munities, and hard pressed families to things that are driving that cost of clearly indicate that they don’t care make college not just a dream but an education, some examples of some ex- about clean air. affordable reality, and I urge my col- travagant spending on college cam- It is amusing to hear from our leagues to support H.R. 5 as an impor- puses, that if we had held hearings, we friends from the other side of the aisle tant first step in making that happen. could have talked about a little bit. We who for 12 years have run the show and are complaining about some of the Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. have done this over the past when I was I yield to the gentleman from New a chairman. We did have some hearings choices that are being made by some York (Mr. ENGEL) for 1 minute. 4,000 institutions of higher education. about this, but let me get some of Mr. ENGEL. I thank the Chairman If they had something that they want- these in the RECORD. for yielding to me. Cornell is investing $259 million in ed to do, I am sorry, but they didn’t for Madam Speaker, I rise in strong sup- what it calls student life and residen- the last 12 years. But what we have port of H.R. 5. This legislation will help tial facilities alone. done in the first 12 days is to act to ease the burden of student loans that Ohio State University is spending make a difference. so many of today’s young people face $140 million to build what its peers en- Mr. MCKEON. Would the gentleman by cutting loan interest rates in half viously refer to as the Taj Mahal, a yield? over the next 5 years. 657,000-square foot complex featuring Mr. BLUMENAUER. I would be As the father of three, I am all too kayaks and canoes, indoor batting happy to yield on the gentleman’s familiar with the challenges of financ- cages and ropes courses, massages and time? ing a college education. I have one a climbing wall big enough for 50 stu- Mr. MCKEON. I yield 1 minute so we child in law school, one in under- dents to scale simultaneously. could talk about that. graduate school. It is very, very dif- The University of Cincinnati is Mr. BLUMENAUER. I would be ficult. I can imagine the vast majority spending $250 million on a Main Street happy to. of the American families that don’t of sorts, with everything from outdoor Mr. MCKEON. I introduced a bill that make what Members of Congress make, cafes to what is called a mall-style stu- really would have addressed some of how even more difficult it is for them. dent center. these issues. In fact, in the last Con- So a college education becomes out of The University of Houston spent $53 gress we passed a bill out of this body. reach for many families. It is very, million on a wellness center, including It stalled on the other side of the Cap- very important. hot tubs, waterfalls and pool slides. itol, but we passed a bill out of this We are going to cut student loan in- The school has a 5-story climbing wall, body that would have addressed some terest rates in half by the next 5 years. while boulders and palm trees frame of those issues, and we did it in a bipar- The vast majority of student loan bor- the leisure pools outside. tisan way. I appreciate those who voted rowers are low to middle income stu- The University of Vermont plans to for it on that side of the aisle. dents who are burdened with huge spend $70 million on a new student cen- Mr. BLUMENAUER. And I am saying amounts of debt upon graduating. In ter, a colossal complex with a pub, a for 12 years they had a chance. I am my home State of New York, the aver- ballroom, theater, an artificial pond sorry if you couldn’t work with the ad- age subsidized Stafford loan debt for a for wintertime skating and views of the ministration and the Republicans who 4-year graduate is over $14,000, and a mountains and Lake Champlain. ran the other Chamber. But my point student starting school in 2007 will Now, we are not going to be able is I am not dealing with Taj Mahals; I save $2,360 over the life of his loan; a probably to talk about extravagant am dealing with community colleges student who starts school in 2011 will spending by the schools because we are that have not had the basics. I am not save over $4,500 over the life of this not talking about the cost of college. talking about rock walls for 50 stu- loan. We are talking about the cost of stu- dents at one time; I am talking about These are real savings put directly dent loans that, because of this ex- basic laboratory space, classroom into the pockets of people who need it travagant spending, students are hav- space, library space, people who are most, and I am proud that Democrats ing to take out to go to college. having difficulty getting access. have made it a priority to make col- Makes me want to go back to school. The point is that the people on the lege more affordable in this 110th Con- Some of these things sound pretty en- other side of the aisle have been talk- gress. This is the right first step. I ticing. Some are pretty nice. ing about this while they have been commend the Chairman and I com- cutting opportunities and cutting mend the leadership of the Democrats b 1630 budgets, cutting taxes. This bill con- here in the 110th Congress. But what about the kids that are try- tinues our commitment to working Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. ing to get an education? They don’t families, promoting competitiveness in Madam Speaker, I now yield to Mr. really, some of them, have time to use the workforce by starting by cutting ETHERIDGE from North Carolina for the these hot tubs, anyway. They are work- interest rates on these subsidized un- purposes of engaging in a colloquy.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:25 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00047 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.090 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H622 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 Mr. ETHERIDGE. I thank the chair- 5 will cut the interest rate from the current 6.8 those who were playing fast and loose man for yielding to me and I support percent to 3.4 percent. As a strong supporter with the facts. For example, when this bill to cut interest rates in half for of education, I support H.R. 5 and also want some on the other side of the aisle say our students. this Congress to increase investments in Pell that a typical borrower would save Let me say, as the first member of Grants for low-income families and other fed- about $4,400 over the life of his or her my family to graduate from college, I eral financial aid for college. Education is the loan because of H.R. 5, we would have know firsthand that affordable access great equalizer in our society because it gives made clear that this simply is not pos- to higher education is the key to the each citizen the opportunity to make the most sible. We would have explained to our American dream for working families. of his or her God-given abilities. The new committee colleagues that for a bor- The cost of attending college continues Democratic Majority must reverse the failed rower to receive the complete $4,400 in to skyrocket and puts it out of reach, priorities of the past and invest in education savings, the 3.4 percent rate must stay as we have already heard and I won’t for greater opportunities for all Americans. in effect for years at a time rather state the numbers, for many working Madam Speaker, I strongly support budget than the 6-month window, and they families and students. discipline, and I am pleased the Democratic must consolidate their loans and In our State of North Carolina, Mr. Leadership has made good on our promise of stretch out repayment over 15 years. Chairman, we have a unique situation no new deficit spending. In reality, Madam Speaker, for a col- where our State nonprofits provide sig- I urge all my colleagues in joining with me lege freshman who receives a loan at nificant benefits to students. I am con- to pass H.R. 5. 3.4 percent in the fall of 2011, the only cerned that this legislation could have Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. semester during which such loan rate the unintended consequences of reduc- Madam Speaker, I have no further re- will be available, he or she would save ing the benefits that our students will quests for time. a whopping $6.42 a month in repay- Mr. MCKEON. I yield myself such receive through our nonprofit lenders. ment. That is right, $6.42, thanks to Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, once again, we just the bait and switch tactic disguised as I thank the gentleman for his inquiry, heard that 5 years from now somebody a sunset in this flawed legislation. and I would say to the gentleman that Consider this: If we were to put the that takes out a loan will save $4,400. I appreciate you sharing your concerns same savings into Pell Grants, for ex- Five years from now, there will be no with me. Nonprofit lenders, certainly, ample, that H.R. 5 earmarks for these savings based on current interest rates our guaranty agents all play a nec- gradually reduced interest rates for which are 6.8 percent because that is essary role in the Federal student loan college graduates, we could increase what the rate will go back to. There program. Our goal is to ensure in the will be a 6-month window; if somebody Pell by about $500. I only wish we were afforded that op- end that our policy benefits all stu- takes a loan out at that point, that portunity. However, we weren’t, and dents, and I pledge to work with you to particular loan they will repay at 3.4 the legislation before us is little more ensure that we meet this goal and percent. The rest of the time it goes than a reflection of the broken process maximize the benefits of the most back. number of students. Madam Speaker, let me be clear. Had by which it was cobbled together. Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. ETHERIDGE. I thank the gen- this debate been held in the Education tleman, and look forward to working and Labor Committee, I believe the bill Madam Speaker, I yield myself such with you as the bill moves along to we are slated to vote on in a few min- time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I want to begin by make sure that this takes care of our utes would have been substantially bet- thanking the staff of the majority side students. ter. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5 What could we have done in com- of the committee, Gabby Gomez, Julie and urge my colleagues to join me in voting to mittee to improve upon this badly Radocchia, Lisette Partelow, Steph- pass this important first step toward making flawed legislation? anie Moore, Brian Kennedy from my college more affordable. For starters, we would have been able staff for their great efforts in helping As the first member of my family to grad- to change the fact that college stu- to prepare this legislation for the 100 uate from college, I know firsthand that afford- dents won’t even feel the slightest im- hours, legislation that will have a dra- able access to quality higher education is the pact from this plan until they begin re- matic and important impact on the key to the American Dream for working fami- paying their loans when they aren’t cost of student loans for students bor- lies. The costs of attending college continue to even students anymore. In other words, rowing from the subsidized loan pro- skyrocket and putting college out-of-reach for we would have made clear that this gram. middle class families. Since 2001, tuition and proposal does nothing to expand col- Madam Speaker and Members of the fees at public universities have increased by lege access. And, as a result, we could House, we come to the end of this de- 41 percent after inflation, and tuition and fees have done better. bate on the question of whether or not at private universities have jumped by 17 per- Had we done our work through reg- we ought to make an effort to reduce cent after inflation. According to the Congres- ular order, rather than providing 5 the cost of college for millions of col- sional Advisory Committee on Student Finan- years of gradually increasing benefits lege students who will be taking out cial Assistance, financial barriers will prevent to college graduates, we could have loans in the future to try to pay for 4.4 million high school graduates from attend- crafted a reform measure that con- that cost of college, and I think the re- ing a four-year public college over the next tinues our commitment to real student sounding answer of this Congress in a decade, and prevent another two million high aid, a reform measure, while ensuring a few minutes will be: Yes, we should. school graduates from attending any college sharper focus on institutional account- Because we understand from discus- at all. ability. And, as a result, we could have sions with our families, with our neigh- Unfortunately, recent Congresses and this done better. bors, with people in our communities Administration have failed to take action to And, had this bill gone through com- that families are struggling with their help our working families and college stu- mittee we also would have been able to children to try and figure out how they dents. In fact, the 109th Congress raided bil- work to ensure this proposal included can afford them the opportunity that lions of dollars from federal support for college language that improves college afford- has become so terribly important in aid to pay for tax breaks for the wealthiest ability. We would have discussed the the economic future of these young few. And even yesterday, the Administration fact that we are spending some $90 bil- people, and that is a college education. announced its opposition to H.R. 5 by stating lion this year on Federal student aid, No longer today can you get by with a college students do not need more help be- triple what it was just a decade ago, high school education. In fact, for most cause college graduates ‘‘have higher lifetime and we also would have reminded one jobs now and most jobs certainly in the earnings.’’ Sadly, this Administration just another that even in spite of this dra- future we know that employers are doesn’t get it. matic increase in aid, tuition continues telling us that at a minimum 2 years of H.R. 5 is designed to make college more af- to skyrocket. And, as a result, we college education is required. So this fordable and accessible by cutting the interest could have done better. bill is about the opportunity to provide rate on subsidized student loans for under- In committee, Madam Speaker, we those students the means by which graduates in half over the next five years. H.R. also would have more quickly exposed they go to college.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:58 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.092 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H623 I have listened to all of this discus- it is paid for so we don’t continue to cation reform this year. We must continue to sion on the other side of the aisle. The add to the debt because we have said improve our efforts to increase college access fact of the matter is they simply don’t we were also going to be fiscally re- and affordability to help Americans achieve a understand the bill. When a person is sponsible and have pay-as-you-go. better future for themselves and their families. deciding whether or not they are going Finally, there has been a lot of dis- Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay the tuition this year, some of cussion today about who doesn’t like today in strong support of H.R. 5, the College these students are eligible for a Pell this bill. Maybe some of the lenders Student Relief Act of 2007, a bill to amend the Grant, they will get their $4,100; they don’t like this bill, some of the pundits Higher Education Act of 1965 to reduce inter- still won’t be able to meet the cost of don’t like this bill. Maybe some of the est rates for student borrowers. This bill would the college, and they will borrow people who work with the lenders don’t provide a fifty percent reduction in the interest money. And under this legislation, like this bill. The people who like this rates applied to loans provided through the after July, they will start to get a re- bill and the people who matter are the Federal Family Education Loan and Direct duced interest rate, and next year they students. And that is why U.S. PIRG Loan programs to undergraduate students will get a further reduction in the rate and the U.S. Student Association and over the next five years. These interest rates and it will continue on. Unless the Re- so many students support this legisla- would be reduced to the 3.4 percent by the publicans are going to repeal this legis- tion, because they know what this year 2011. lation, maybe you are going to repeal means to them with the passage of this Tuition costs and fees for four-year-colleges it and take away this benefit for the bill, that their interest rates will be and universities in the United States have students, it will continue on, as the lower. They know this will lower the risen 41 percent after inflation since 2001. The gentleman knows. Just as we have a cost of college. Congressional Advisory Commission on Stu- sunset in the Higher Education Act, a That is what we said we would do. dent Financial Assistance reports that nearly reauthorization of No Child Left Be- That is what we are going to do. That 4.4 million high school students will not be hind, we continue to reauthorize them is what the 100 hours have been about. able to afford to attend a four-year public col- time and time again because that is That is what is going to happen with lege over the next 10 years. If we do not act the commitment of this Congress, and the passage of this legislation. today, Madam Speaker, 12 million fewer col- I don’t think the gentleman is sug- I urge my colleagues to support the lege-educated workers will be among Amer- gesting that. legislation. Help these students and ica’s workforce by the year 2020. The interest rate cuts proposed by H.R. 5 So what we have today is the oppor- help families with the cost of college. are significant, and will help stem this potential tunity for this Congress in the first 100 Mr. PEARCE. Madam Speaker, I believe we crisis. For example, a student with a $13,800 hours, in the first 100 hours of legisla- can all agree that we must work to increase loan will save nearly $4,400 over the life of tive business to reduce the student opportunities to enhance the education of their loan. This will serve to mitigate the rise loans for those people on a subsidized America’s men and women. Education pro- in college tuition, and will allow nearly 5.5 mil- loan from 6.8 percent down to 3.4 per- vides the needed foundation for helping Amer- lion students in the United States and the terri- cent over the next 5 years and then icans become productive working citizens. tories—especially those in the middle- and thereafter. That is a magnificent op- This makes our country stronger and more low-income brackets—to pursue and attain a portunity. competitive both now and in the future. quality higher education. Increasing the num- When it is fully implemented this Because I believe we must open the doors bers of American workers who earned a col- legislation will provide $4,400 in inter- to higher education while ensuring taxpayers lege degree will help ensure the strength and est rate relief. $4,400 is a very substan- are protected, I plan to vote in favor of H.R. 5. This bill cuts subsidized student loan inter- vibrancy of America’s economy into the next tial relief to low income and middle in- generation. The realities of the global market- come families when they look at the est rates from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent over a period of 5 years and includes offsets within place place a high premium on workers with life cycle cost of what it is going to advanced education and training. We must do cost to acquire 4 years of education to the federal budget to ensure the budget deficit is not increased. This makes the bill a ‘‘win- all that we can to make such education and get that basic B.A. degree. When they training accessible to as many of our children win’’ situation for both college graduates and look at that, they will see that this as possible. taxpayers. legislation will substantially reduce I represent the territory of Guam. This legis- However, the bill before us contains serious their costs. lation is of great value to my constituents who weaknesses—weaknesses that could have But as Speaker PELOSI made very plan to seek higher education. It is my hope been avoided had the Majority allowed for a clear about this 100 hours, this is only that enactment of the provision of this bill into more open discussion both in committee and the beginning. This is a down payment law will those among my constituency who on the House floor. The bill lacks in its ability on our efforts to reduce the cost of col- previously believed higher education to be lege. to help individuals who need to fund their edu- unaffordable to reconsider and pursue college Yes, we want to follow along with cation today. To truly increase college enroll- degrees. This legislation will significantly lower Mr. MCKEON’s suggestions and his work ment and affordability, students need to have the overall financial burden of higher edu- in talking to the universities about increased access to financial aid while they cation for Americans. whether or not they are doing all they are attending college. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5, the can to keep the cost of college down Last year Republicans brought to the House College Student Relief Act of 2007. and to make it affordable. We want to floor more comprehensive legislation that cre- Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Madam Speaker, I increase the Pell Grant, and we will be ated Academic Competitiveness and Science am proud to rise in support of the College Stu- doing that in this committee and in and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent dent Relief Act of 2007. This bill will make col- the Appropriations Committee. And we (SMART) grant programs to supplement the lege more affordable for the more than 5.5 hope to be able to enlarge the tax de- existing Pell Grant program. I supported this million students who depend on subsidized duction for parents who are paying for measure as well as an increase in student student loans to pay for a higher education. the tuition and the cost of college be- Stafford loan limits from $2,625 to $3,500 a If our country is to continue as the world yond that. year for first year students and $3,500 to leader and remain competitive in today’s high- $4,500 a year for second year students. ly technical global economy, we must maintain b 1645 These measures were signed into law on Feb- a highly educated workforce. To achieve that So, yes, in this 100 hours, this is what ruary 8, 2006 and are helping students get in- goal, we must give all America’s children the we can do. This is what is affordable. creased access to financial aid as we speak. opportunity to develop their talents and reach Yes, my colleagues talk about all that By focusing on the principles of fairness, ac- their full potential. they wanted to do. They paid for none countability, affordability and quality, we can Tragically, our country fails to benefit from of it. They sent the bill to these very continue to reform federal student aid pro- the talents of so many of our students simply same college students in terms of def- grams to both maximize the benefits for stu- because they cannot afford a college edu- icit, in terms of debt, in terms of inter- dents and spend taxpayer dollars wisely. I cation. Tuition and fees at most four-year insti- est on the debt, trillions of dollars of look forward to the Majority changing their tutions have skyrocketed in recent years, ris- debt. This they may think is too small closed door policy and giving all Members of ing 41 percent since 2001. These high costs now, but the fact of the matter is, it is Congress an opportunity to put forth their are financial barriers for many students seek- very important to these families that ideas to develop comprehensive higher edu- ing a college degree. In fact, over the next ten

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:58 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.093 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H624 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 years the cost of higher education will prevent I urge my colleagues to support this legisla- cations and ultimately get the jobs that will nearly 4.4 million high school graduates from tion. allow them prosperous lives. attending a four-year public institution and an- Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam What we are doing today also has broader other 2 million from going to college at all. Speaker, I rise today in support of America’s significance. It is significant to the strength of The passage of the College Student Relief college-bound students. As an original co- our economy and the security of our country. Act will help to alleviate this financial burden sponsor of H.R. 5, the College Student Relief If America is to compete economically with for talented, hardworking students who cannot Act, I join my colleagues in helping increase countries like China and India and fill key posi- afford their education without financial assist- the access and affordability of college to over tions in our national security agencies, we ance. For example, over five years, the bill will 5 million students. need to start by sending more kids to college. cut student loan interest rates in half, saving In today’s economy, the key to higher Under current policy, financial barriers will pre- a student on average $4,400 over the life of wages is through higher education. Unfortu- vent 6.4 million high school graduates from at- his or her loan. That $4,400 in savings will be nately, the soaring cost of college education tending college and would cost our economy a lifeline to low and middle income students has left many of America’s young adults be- 12 million college-educated workers by the as they deal with the financial pressures of life hind. No student should ever be turned away year 2020. This is a crisis, Madam Speaker. after college, such as paying for rent, utilities, from college for fear of being unable to pay We need to recognize right now that the in- groceries, health care, and other essential the debt. vestments in education we make or choose costs, in addition to paying off their loans. The College Student Relief Act of 2007, not to make today will determine our economic I am especially excited about this bill be- H.R. 5, makes good on the Democratic pledge future—whether or not our grandchildren and cause it will greatly help poor and middle-in- for a New Direction for this country. This great-grandchildren have high-quality jobs. come students in my district realize their smart, fiscally-responsible bill would cut the in- College access is an integral part of our dream of a college education. These students, terest rate for undergraduate students with competitiveness and security puzzle, because many of whom are the first in their families to subsidized student loans in half over the next we will not find the answers to the challenges attend college, pay for college through a com- five years, from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent. we face as a Nation without a well-educated bination of scholarships, need-based loans, H.R. 5 is targeted to help the students most in and innovative workforce. The bill we are and jobs on the side. I am always impressed need, those with subsidized loans from low passing today will make our country a safer that, even in the face of so many obstacles and middle income families. The bill’s cost is and a more prosperous place. and sacrifices, they remain determined to suc- offset with six modest reductions in various Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to ceed, make their family proud, and give back subsidies to lenders and guaranty agencies. pass this bill, and I look forward to continuing to their community. In my home state of Connecticut, over this dialogue about the importance of edu- Madam Speaker, cutting interest rates on 33,000 students with subsidized loans would cation for national competitiveness and secu- subsidized student loans today will not only benefit from this bill. For those entering col- rity. help students across our country realize their lege in 2007, they will save more than $2,000 Ms. SOLIS. Madam Speaker, I stand here dreams, but it will also help to make our coun- over the life of their loans. When the rate cut today in strong support of H.R. 5, the College try stronger. I support the bill before us today is fully implemented in 2011, students will Student Relief Act of 2007. and I will continue to support other legislation save over $4,000. This is a substantial sav- I was proud to cast my support for this bill to lower the financial barriers to a college edu- ings for students entering our workforce. earlier today and commend the democratic cation for our nation’s children. Today’s legislation is about helping students leadership for making college affordability one It is time to pass the College Student Relief and their families. The opportunity for a col- of our first items of business in the 110th Con- Act. lege education should be available to all gress. Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Madam Speak- Our children’s future is very important to er, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5, the Americans. As a Nation, we must invest in our youth and insure they have every tool and op- America’s families. A quality education is key College Student Loan Relief Act. As many of to that future. my colleagues have explained, H.R. 5 cuts in portunity to succeed in the global economy. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in sup- However, many of America’s working fami- half over the next five years the interest rates lies, including Latino families, struggle to pro- on subsidized student loans for undergraduate porting H.R. 5. Mr. REYES. Madam Speaker, I rise today in vide this future for their children. students. This will make college more afford- The high cost of an education and the lack able and accessible for low- and middle-in- strong support of H.R. 5, a bill that would ex- pand educational opportunity for millions of of adequate financial aid makes obtaining a come students and their families. higher education unattainable. Since 2001 tuition and fees at public univer- young Americans by slicing interest rates on federally subsidized student loans in half. Since 2001, tuition and fees at private uni- sities have increased by 41 percent after infla- versities have jumped by 17 percent after in- tion. During that same period tuition and fees This fair, well-balanced legislation would open the doors to America’s colleges and uni- flation. at private universities have also increased by At public universities tuition and fees have 17 percent after inflation. At the same time, in- versities for millions of our sons and daughters who would have otherwise been dissuaded by increased by 41 percent after inflation. terest rates on student loans have risen by al- In addition to tuition and fees rising, interest the high cost of pursuing a higher education. most 2 percentage points, adding another in- rates on student loans have risen. creasing cost to students and their families. It Among those millions will be young men and Over the last 5 years, the interest rates on is estimated that 4.4 million high school stu- women who will be the first in their families to student loans have jumped by almost 2 per- dents will be prevented from attending a four- attend college. There will be inventors and cent—further increasing the cost of college. year public college over the next decade, and innovators, businessmen and women, gen- During the same period of time that tuition another two million high school graduates will erals, scientists, leaders of all stripes, and, jumped by 41 percent, the median household be prevented from attending any college at all, surely, future members of this body. income for Latinos fell by 4 percent. because of financial barriers. At the University of Texas at El Paso, Of the millions of student loan borrowers In my home state alone, over 20,000 stu- UTEP, in my district, students entering school with need based loans, half have family in- dents currently have subsidized loans at four- in 2007 will save $2,300 on an average debt comes between $26,000 and $68,000. year institutions, at an average debt of over of $13,800, and students entering in 2011, According to the 2004 National Postsec- $12,000. For these students starting school in when the full interest rate cuts take effect, will ondary Student Aid Study, 73 percent of 2007, over the life of the loan they will save save over $4,400 on the same amount of Latino families had incomes below $62,240. over $2,000, while the average student start- debt. Forty-seven 47 percent of Latino families have ing school in 2011 will save over $4,000 over These savings would mean the world to my incomes less than $34,288 per year. the life of the loan. While this savings is cer- community of El Paso and to Latino commu- In 2005, the total cost of college for one tainly significant, more than saving money, this nities across the country. This is true because Latino student was 32 percent of a median legislation will provide opportunity to students Hispanic students have historically borrowed household’s income for a public institution. across New Mexico, and the country, who oth- less on average than other groups, a reluc- It nears 75 percent of a median household’s erwise might not be able to attend college. tance that means students are often too busy income for a private institution. This is an inestimable value both to each of working for a paycheck to complete their de- Yet Latinos receive the least financial aid of these students, as well as to our respective grees in a timely fashion. The six billion dol- any ethnic group, including Federal and non- state’s and our nation, which benefits from lars in loan relief we are passing today will Federal aid. having a highly skilled and well-educated mean our kids will have the ability to borrow While the average total aid award for all un- workforce. the money they need to finance their edu- dergraduates in 2003–04 was $6,890, Latinos

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:25 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A17JA7.046 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H625 received the lowest average aid award of in the world, we are at an important cross- leagues to pass this common sense legisla- $6,250. roads. Today’s college students are grad- tion. The high cost of higher education leaves uating with increasing levels of student loan Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I rise in many Latino students with no choice. debt—$17,500 on average. In many cases, support of the ‘‘College Student Relief Act of According to the Congressional Advisory this debt is simply too substantial to manage- 2007,’’ H.R. 5. Every opportunity I get, I tell Committee on Student Financial Assistance, ably repay. For many young people, the mere young people about the benefits of a college the cost of a higher education will prevent 4.4 thought of putting themselves in such enor- education. I use my own experience as an ex- million high school graduates from attending a mous debt could lead them to delay or forgo ample of the opportunities that higher edu- 4-year public college over the next decade. college. Indeed, according to the Congres- cation can afford. I have a bachelor’s degree And would prevent another two million high sional Advisory Committee on Student Finan- from Howard University and a law degree from school graduates from attending any college cial Assistance, financial barriers will prevent the University of Maryland and I am convinced at all. at least 4.4 million high school graduates from that, without those degrees, I would not be This road is especially difficult for Latinos, attending a four-year public college over the standing before you today. The statistics sup- who face low family incomes, low financial aid next decade, and prevent another 2 million port this assertion. The poverty rate for college awards and a reluctance to assume debt. high school graduates from attending any col- graduates is about one-third that of high Latinos represent 15 percent of the college- lege at all. school graduates and individuals with college age population, yet only 12 percent of all un- At a time when college tuition is sky- degrees are less likely to be unemployed. Fur- dergraduates in U.S. colleges and universities, rocketing—increasing by 35% at four-year ther, women with bachelor’s degrees earn 70 and 5 percent of students in graduate pro- public institutions over the past five years—it percent more than those with high school di- grams. is clear that Congress needs to act and act plomas, and for men the difference is 63 per- Only 12 percent of Latinos over the age 25 now to make college more affordable. cent. have a bachelor’s degree. The College Student Relief Act cuts the in- Regrettably, a college education is becom- Of all undergraduates enrolled in the 2003– terest rates for undergraduate students with ing increasingly inaccessible in this country. A 2004 academic year, 49 percent of Latino un- subsidized student loans in half over the next recent assessment by The Education Trust entitled, ‘‘Engines of Inequality: Diminishing dergraduates were more likely to be first-gen- five years at no cost to the taxpayer. This Equity in the Nation’s Premier Public Univer- eration students, 51 percent are enrolled on a commonsense legislation will help 5.5 million sities,’’ finds that public institutions are no part-time basis and the majority have low-in- students across the country. comes. In Michigan, for about 144,000 student bor- longer the engines of upward social mobility that they once were. To the contrary, these in- Latinos and other low income communities rowers who will graduate from Michigan col- stitutions are pursuing increased selectivity deserve the security provided by an affordable leges and universities, this bill would generate over expanded opportunity—targeting wealthi- higher education. H.R. 5 is part of the solution. savings of over $4,200 on average over the er students to improve rankings in college Cutting the interest rate on subsidized stu- life of their loans. For example, these savings guides. Some argue that the system is now a dent loans in half from 6.8 percent to 3.4 per- will benefit close to 1,200 students at Law- meritocracy, but this is by no means the case. cent over the next five years will make college rence Tech and 3,500 students at Oakland The highest achieving students from high-in- more affordable for thousands of Latino stu- University. come families are nearly four times more likely dents. For Michigan, the benefits of this loan relief to attend a highly selective university than the In fact, this bill will save students with couldn’t be clearer. A report by Michigan’s Lt. highest achievers from low-income families. $13,800 in subsidized federal student loan Governor John Cherry’s Commission on High- Our nation’s low-income and middle-class debt approximately $4,400 over the life of their er Education and Economic Growth spelled students are being pushed out of premier col- loan. out how Michigan’s economic future is directly leges and universities simply because they At a time when financial barriers are pre- linked to our ability to accelerate the comple- cannot afford to attend. Tuition and fees have venting millions of young Americans from at- tion of degrees of higher education. Two-thirds risen by 35 percent in the past five years, and tending college we must make college more of the jobs created in the next decade will re- the typical student now graduates with affordable. quire post-secondary education and training. $17,500 of debt. The Congressional Advisory I was fortunate to have access to federal By making a higher education more afford- Committee on Student Financial Assistance and state programs such as the Pell Grant able for thousands of Michiganders we are not predicts that rising costs will prevent at least and Work-Study Program. only helping them realize their dreams, but we 4.4 million high school graduates from attend- As Director of the California Student Oppor- are also helping ensure the future of our state. ing college over the next decade. This trend tunity and Access Program, I was able to help I urge all of my colleagues to stand today affects not only individual students, but our na- students find ways to afford their college edu- with our students and support the College Stu- tion as a whole. By 2020, the U.S. is expected cation. dent Relief Act. to experience a shortage of nearly 12 million As a former Member of the Rio Hondo Mr. CROWLEY. Madam Speaker, I rise in college-educated workers, losing its competi- Community College Board, I know the strug- support of H.R. 5, a bill to lower the cost of tive edge in the global marketplace. gles our colleges face in providing services to college for millions of middle class Americans. That is why I stand before you today to ex- students. Tuition all over the country has sky-rock- press my strong support for this bill, which My experience taught me that access to eted. The State University of New York would cut student loan interest rates in half higher education should not be a privilege (SUNY) costs over $12,000 a year to attend over five years—giving 5.5 million students a available to a select few, but a right available for a commuter and almost $17,000 a year to much needed break in the cost of college. In to all. live on campus. my home state of Maryland alone, 48,484 stu- Investing in affordable higher education for And these are resident in state tuition fig- dents would get a break. We must do all that every child benefits our society as a whole. ures. we can to provide every American with access Today we are fulfilling our promise to make The GOP’s response to the sky-rocketing to a college education. I want to thank Mr. college more affordable for students. price of college tuition: Last year, Republicans MILLER and the Democratic leadership for in- Cutting interest rates in half on student cut $12 billion from student aid. To add insult troducing this vitally important legislation and loans is the first step. to injury on December 23, 2004 with a Christ- bringing us one step closer to achieving that I look forward to working with my colleagues mas gift only worthy of the Grinch, the Repub- goal. to ensuring our children—all of our children— licans actually cut back college grant pro- Mr. STARK. Madam Speaker, I rise today in have a brighter future through education. grams to 1.3 million students. strong support of making higher education Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, one of the pil- Democrats offer a New Direction. Our Amer- more affordable. Access to college is abso- lars of the New Direction for America was a ican direction is designed to make college lutely necessary if our country is to fulfill its promise to make higher education more af- more affordable for Americans by cutting the promise of economic, social, and political in- fordable and accessible so that more Ameri- current interest rate for student loans in half. clusiveness for all individuals. By cutting inter- cans can advance their education and en- Our bill will save middle class families in New est rates in half on needs-based student hance their economic future in an increasingly York and nationwide approximately $4,400 loans, we will make college more accessible competitive global economy. Today we are over the life of their loan. to hundreds of thousands of students from taking a first step towards achieving this goal. Democrats are putting our money where our low- and middle-income families. For a country whose economic success re- mouth is and passing legislation to actually Last November, the American people sent a lies on the very best colleges and universities benefit middle class families. I urge my col- clear and powerful message. They are tired of

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:25 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A17JA7.050 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H626 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 business as usual in Washington. Instead of It is also important to note that the College economy if we continue to throw hurdles in economic policies that help the rich get richer, Student Relief Act adheres to the pay-as-you- front of our young people. Today’s vote to they want education policies that will help their go budgeting rule that Congress adopted ear- ease the debt burden for millions of students children to realize an American dream that is lier this month. will go a long way toward increasing access to increasingly difficult to come by. Since 2001, Madam Speaker, H.R. 5, the College Stu- higher education. college costs have risen by 41 percent. Ac- dent Relief Act, shows Congress can make a If Americans fail to address these issues cording to the Department of Education, such significant difference in the lives of average now, we will default on our traditional commit- increases put college out of reach for as many Americans without raising taxes or adding to ment to a better future for our children. We as 200,000 would-be students a year. Rising the staggering national deficit. I am proud to owe it to our young people to provide the op- costs have also forced more and more stu- support this bill and I look forward to keeping portunities that will allow them to become suc- dents to rely on loans to pay for college, which the focus on making a college education ac- cessful and productive adults. now saddle the average graduate with cessible and affordable for Hoosier families. I would like to commend the Democratic $17,500 in Federal student loan debt. Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to Leadership for their dedication to this issue, The College Student Relief Act, H.R. 5, of- strongly support H.R. 5, the ‘‘College Student and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5, fers real relief to students priced out of college Relief Act of 2007.’’ the College Student Relief Act. and burdened by debt. According to USPIRG, I want to thank Chairman GEORGE MILLER Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Madam my home State of California has 228,500 sub- for his leadership on this bill, and thank Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 5, sidized loan borrowers. This bill will save the Speaker PELOSI and the Democratic Leader- the so-called ‘‘College Student Relief Act.’’ Al- average California student enrolling in college ship team for making this a priority during the though its supporters would have the public this fall $2,490. When fully implemented, it will first 100 hours of the 110th Congress. believe that implementation of this bill would save the average student who starts college in Madam Speaker, today, we take an impor- be a cure-all to the skyrocketing costs of high- 2011 $4,830. tant step in the right direction—a direction that er education, the truth is that H.R. 5 does Today’s legislation is an important first step leads to closing the gap between the have’s nothing to address tuition costs for students in what I hope will be an ongoing effort to and the have not’s in this Nation. and could actually end up making college make college more affordable. This effort And in doing so, Madam Speaker, today the even more expensive. should include raising the maximum Pell Grant doors of opportunity will swing open to a In fact, the only students who will be fortu- amount and exploring other policies to open whole new generation. nate enough to reap the full benefits of this the doors to college to a larger slice of our so- Cutting the interest rate on student loans in proposal are those who take out their loans ciety. Our guiding principle should be ensuring half will have a tremendous impact on our na- during the small 6-month window from July 1, that all students who meet academic require- tion’s students and allow millions of others to 2011 to January 1, 2012. Before that date, the ments for undergraduate study can afford to pursue their dreams of higher education. In promise of halving the interest rates is attend college, not just those from wealthy my home state of California, the estimated unfulfilled. And, after that date, the interest families. savings for one student will be over $4000. By rate will again double. I urge my colleagues to heed the voice of making this cut, we are alleviating the burden While this bill provides great sound bites the American people and take this initial step on lower and middle class families, and allow- and interesting political opportunities for my toward making higher education accessible to ing their children to reach higher. colleagues on the other side of the aisle, it all. Madam Speaker, we all know that there are also demonstrates that they have no intention Mr. ELLSWORTH. Madam Speaker, I rise in many challenges in our current educational of implementing an enduring plan which will strong support of H.R. 5, the College Student system. Excessive student loan payments are address the costs of higher education. And, Relief Act. The strength of our economy relies on a just one of many obstacles. Today, we remove while this bill purports to help those in financial highly-educated workforce. That’s why Con- an obstacle placed in the path of the students need, in reality, it only applies to college grad- gress can and must do more to help families that need this help the most. uates who have already reaped the financial afford college. Cutting the interest rate on stu- We need to be creating the workforce of the and other benefits of that education. I am concerned for those students who dent loans is a good place to start in reducing future. It is estimated that 42 percent of all the financial burden students and their families jobs next year will require post-secondary edu- apply for loans on January 2, 2012 and any face. cation. That is why, I know, that today is just date afterwards, for they will not only have Each year the high costs of college edu- one step in many this Democratic House will missed the boat on a low-interest rate loan, cation will prevent many American students take in improving the accessibility to our insti- but they will also bear the brunt of having to from pursuing a college education. The sav- tutions of higher education. pay higher tuition costs. The proposal before ings created by reducing the interest rate of Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to us will exacerbate perverse incentives already student loans from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent support H.R. 5, for the future of our children. at play with regard to government subsidies will provide an opportunity for more of those Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. for student loans. College tuition costs have students to afford a higher education. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support skyrocketed by almost 300 percent between According to analysis provided by U.S. of the College Student Relief Act, as it will 1982 and 2003. The only segment of our PIRG, there are over 94,000 students in the give financial assistance to millions of student economy that comes even close to such State of Indiana who are currently receiving borrowers. growth—where costs have also outpaced infla- subsidized loans. Upon graduation from a 4- In order to remain competitive in a global tion by such a dramatic gulf—is health care, year institution, these Hoosier students are economy, students are taking out more loans which grew by nearly 200 percent. As the Wall saddled with an average Stafford loan debt of and falling further into debt. The College Stu- Street Journal noted in an editorial today, ‘‘it’s $12,967. Enactment of this bill will bring an dent Relief Act will go a long way towards no coincidence that third parties foot the bill average savings of $2,140 to $4,140 over the making college more affordable and acces- for big chunks of both higher ed and health life of the student’s loan. sible. H.R. 5 will cut interest rates in half on care spending....’’ The financial burden of today’s college grad- certain federally subsidized student loans over Colleges are serving up these Federal sub- uates continues to worsen as college tuition the next 5 years. These cuts will particularly sidies to education-hungry students knowing escalates at a steady clip. This weekend I impact low- and middle-income students sav- full well that those students will not be able to heard this very sentiment from students at the ing the typical borrower approximately $4,400 realistically judge the costs of the education University of Southern Indiana in Evansville over the life of their loan. These interest rate they receive. Those students who apply for and Indiana State University in Terra Haute. cuts will help more than 5.5 million under- loans in that first semester of 2012 will be Passage of H.R. 5 will help ease this burden graduate students once they are fully phased forced to pay for the sound bite we consider and give college graduates a break as they in. today. begin their career. With the cost of higher education continuing While cutting the interest rates on students’ Enacting H.R. 5 is only a start. Congress to skyrocket, this is an important first step in loans made for an attractive campaign slogan, must press ahead by finding sensible ways to easing the financial burden for millions of stu- the new leadership is creating a program make college education both affordable and dents and their families. It’s estimate that which is costly, has negligible effects for those assessable to students from low- and middle- around 200,000 students delay or completely it purports to help, and has retroactive con- income families. Our strength as a nation de- forgo going to college due to the associated sequences for many aspiring scholars. I chal- pends on fostering a highly-educated work- costs. This is simply unacceptable. We will not lenge my colleagues to evaluate this bill for force. be able to continue to compete in the global what it truly is: a political stunt which sorely

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:25 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A17JA7.059 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H627 lacks an effective plan to cut college costs for teacher and the current representative for phased in, their savings will increase to future students. Houston’s Johnson Space Center I find this $4,470. Or once again, about $3,420 for the Mr. FERGUSON. Madam Speaker, I rise in simply unacceptable. During the Apollo years, student at Worcester State College, and about support of H.R. 5, but I also stand to say that our Nation united behind a vision, and backed $5,330 for the student at WPI. the legislation should be expanded to address that vision with proper resources, in turn in- These figures have real meaning to low- not only college graduates but also students spiring millions of children to go into these and middle-income students and their families. who are in college now and struggling with the fields. The technological and medical ad- They are targeted at families whose annual in- weight of mounting tuition and expenses—or vances that followed continue to benefit our come is less than $70,000. These are the families that are considering college for their Nation and the world. We have lost our vision. families and individuals who most need our high school children. Our commitment to education and our position support to achieve the dream of a college The Chronicle of Higher Education reported as a global leader. education. According to the Congressional Ad- this month that average tuition and fees at Now is the time to repair the foundation that visory Committee on Student Financial Assist- four-year colleges have increased by 38 per- our country is based on—equality. It has long ance, financial barriers will prevent at least 4.4 cent in recent years. ‘‘Tuition inflation’’ far ex- been said that education is the great equal- million high school graduates from attending ceeds inflation in the general economy, and is izer. In recent years, millions of working and 4-year public colleges over the next decade— pushing the dream of a college education middle-class families have been left behind as and another 2 million high school graduates away from too families and students. For too college tuition has skyrocketed and student from attending any college at all. many parents and too many children, college loan interest rates have risen sharply. By tak- These reductions won’t cost the U.S. tax- simply isn’t an option because it’s not afford- ing this important first step—making college payer a single dime. able. more affordable and accessible for all Ameri- They will barely cause a ripple in the profit- That’s wrong. But while H.R. 5 would aid cans—we are showing our Nation’s young ability of banks and lenders currently doing college graduates, it would do nothing to help adults that we are dedicated to their future. business with the federal government in man- today’s college students or families that are We will not make it to Mars, grow new hearts aging Stafford Loans—no matter how much struggling to pay for their children’s college ex- in Petri dishes, or develop new fuels without a complaining and moaning we’re likely to hear penses. H.R. 5 does not address the growing renewed commitment to education. from them. barrier that restricts access to higher edu- A commitment to education should include And let me emphasize one other point—I cation and new opportunities. all types of post-high school programs. We agree with my friends on the other side of the That’s a missed opportunity—not only for must encourage young adults to attend voca- aisle that there are many reasons why a high- this House but also for the families who can- tional schools as well as universities. Those er education is increasingly out of reach for not afford their children’s college tuition and who work as skilled laborers, such as me- many American families: The failure over the fees. past several years to increase the maximum As H.R. 5 is considered in the Senate and chanics and electricians, keep our society run- Pell Grant level, the stagnation of funding for later in the legislative process, it is my desire ning and deserve encouragement and aid as campus-based aid programs, and the soaring that its scope include not only college grad- well. costs of college tuition, fees, room and uates but also current and prospective college This bill, H.R. 6, The College Student Relief board—to name just a few. As my colleagues students—and their families. Act of 2007, is a fiscally responsible measure It is my further desire that the legislation that meets our new pay-go requirements. It know, I have been a particular champion of should not hamper competition and restrict ac- will ease the burden students and families significant increases both to the Pell Grant cess to student loans for future graduates. bear as they strive to improve their situations maximum level and overall funding of the pro- During the last six years, Congress in- and contribute to our Nation’s economy, but gram. creased spending on federal student aid by 57 not increase the burden on taxpayers. This is It’s my understanding that the gentleman percent. Funding for Pell Grants increased by not merely a win-win situation; this is a win- from California, Chairman GEORGE MILLER, will nearly 50 percent. These programs have surplus. Our country will benefit immensely begin hearings on these and other issues re- helped college graduates and current stu- both globally and locally through a renewed lated to the affordability of a college education. dents. commitment to education. Working through the Education and the Work- It is my hope that before we vote again on Our students deserve the best. They are our force Committee, legislation will be drafted H.R. 5, its scope is expanded to address the future, and by cutting student loan interest and marked up through regular Committee urgent needs of prospective and current col- rates and expanding access to higher edu- process, reported out, and hopefully be sched- lege students, too. cation we are ensuring our Nation’s future. uled on the House legislative calendar in the Mr. LAMPSON. Madam Speaker, like many Mr. MCGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I rise in 110th Congress. So these profound issues of my colleagues have mentioned today, my strong support of H.R. 5, the College Student that concern Republicans and Democrats alike brothers and sisters and I were the grand- Relief Act of 2007. Currently, Massachusetts will proceed through regular order with the full children of immigrants who barely knew has about 99,000 undergraduate students at- participation of the Minority. English, and the first in our family to go to col- tending 4-year colleges and universities who Mr. CARDOZA. Madam Speaker, I rise lege. Although my mother was only able to at- receive federal need-based college loans—or today in strong support of the rule and the un- tend school through the 5th grade, she in- Stafford Loans. derlying bill. The cost of public university tui- stilled in us the importance of an education. In my own district, the 3rd Congressional tion has increased a staggering 41 percent My mother led by example, receiving her GED District of Massachusetts, at Worcester State since 2001. In my district in California’s Cen- on her 80th birthday, and all six of us received College, a 4-year public college, more than tral Valley, high college costs have been a at least one college degree. And we all 1,300 students have Stafford Loans; and at persistent barrier for working families seeking worked our way through college, I myself Worcester Polytechnic Institute, a 4-year pri- to send their children to college. swept floors. She wanted us to have a better vate college, more than 1,700 students have If our country is serious about preserving life, to be able to provide for our families with- Stafford Loans. the American Dream and extending edu- out constantly worrying and living paycheck to In Massachusetts, the average Stafford cational opportunity to the next generation of paycheck. And we have all led successful and Loan Debt is about $14,000 ($13,994). Americans, then we must take action. The happy lives thanks to her encouragement and Even though, under H.R. 5, the full reduc- College Student Relief Act would cut the inter- strong will. tion to the interest rate takes five years to est rate on federal, subsidized loans in half But this Nation has lost sight of the impor- achieve—because Democrats believe in mak- over five years. tance of an education. We have allowed our ing sure their proposals are fully paid for— As a Blue Dog, I am proud to say that this education system to fall to the wayside, and Massachusetts students starting college in bill is fiscally responsible: the cost will be off- put our citizens at a disadvantage—when they 2007 will benefit immediately from these set by reductions in subsidies to lenders which try to move up the career ladder, and when changes to the interest rates. The savings for have enjoyed bipartisan support in the past. our Nation competes on a global level. We the average student in Massachusetts receiv- This is a good bill for the American people, have failed our constituents when we fail to ing a Stafford Loan who starts school in 2007 and I urge my colleagues to open the doors of not only provide access to education, but will be $2,310. That translates into $1,760 for opportunity for young Americans and support when we fail to encourage our young people that student at Worcester State College and this bill. to dream and to achieve. $2,750 for the student at WPI. Mr. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today America is now 39th in the world in math And for the students who start school in in support of H.R. 5, the College Student Re- and science. As a former physical science 2011, when the interest rate reduction is fully lief Act.

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:25 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A17JA7.063 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H628 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 This much-needed legislation will make col- Just in the first two years, this bill will save to work with my fellow members and the dis- lege more affordable and accessible by cutting Ohio students an average of $2,230 and in tinguished Chairman of Education and Labor the interest rate in half for undergraduates four years $4,320. to recognize the important role small, not-for- who take out subsidized Stafford loans. Be- We should ease the burden on our working profit lenders play in opening doors to more cause subsidized loans are need-based loans, families. We should put our students in a posi- working families. I believe it makes sense to the primary beneficiaries of this legislation will tion to succeed in school and beyond. This distinguish not only between large and small be low- and middle-income families. bill, which cuts student loan rates, does just lenders, but those that lend on a not-for-profit In Michigan’s 15th Congressional District, that. basis and who reinvest all revenues into addi- the average amount borrowed under the sub- Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise in tional student financial assistance. sidized loan program is about $14,000 per stu- strong support of the College Student Relief Our goal is to improve educational opportu- dent. If this legislation is enacted, students Act, which over the next five years will cut the nities for students and it is a goal I know our who take out loans this fall will save $2,300 student loan interest rate in half for under- non-profit lenders share. over the life of the loan and students starting graduate students with subsidized loans. And, Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in in 2011 will save nearly $4,500. This is a sig- I take exception to this Republican rhetoric strong support of H.R. 5. nificant amount of money, especially for a col- about what the Democrats could have done In today’s increasingly competitive economy, lege student. under Republican domination. a college education is more important than I would like to point out that despite all of Madam Speaker, Since 2001, tuition and ever. That’s why it’s essential for us to ensure the arguments I’ve been hearing about how fees have increased by 41 percent, after infla- that anyone who has the desire to receive a much this bill will cost, I am proud to say that tion, at four-year public colleges and by 17 higher education has the opportunity to do so. the Democrats are committed to fiscal respon- percent (after inflation) at four-year private col- Higher education shapes citizens as well as sibility and have drafted this bill to fully comply leges. the future of our country. with the pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) budgetary Now, we have a chance to act; otherwise fi- Today escalating college costs and legisla- requirements passed earlier this month. The nancial barriers will prevent more than 4 mil- tion passed by the Republican Majority in PAYGO rules require any new spending to be lion students from attending a four-year col- 2006 are creating insurmountable barriers offset in other spending areas. The costs of lege and more than 2 million from attending across the country for students to afford a col- this legislation are entirely offset by six modest any college in the coming decade. lege education. According to the Congres- reductions in subsidies to lenders and guar- That would be a crisis for millions of hard- sional Advisory Committee on Student Finan- anty agencies, five of which were proposed by working families—but it also would be a crisis cial Assistance, financial obstacles will prevent President Bush in his budget for fiscal year for our country’s ability to compete in the 21st at least 4.4 million high school graduates from 2006. century economy. attending a four-year public college over the Our goal of creating a highly skilled and in- In his article, ‘‘It’s a Flat World, After All,’’ next decade. This is an inexcusable waste of novative domestic workforce begins with a col- Thomas Friedman argues that America’s his- our most valuable resource, the young people lege education. This bill is a bold step in the torical economic advantages have dis- of our country. right direction towards advancing America’s appeared because ‘‘the world is flat, and any- H.R. 5 will lower these barriers, cutting inter- competitiveness in the global marketplace. I one with smarts; access to Google; and, a est rates in half over the next five years for look forward to working with my colleagues in cheap wireless laptop can join the innovation undergraduate students with subsidized stu- the future on additional measures such as in- fray.’’ No matter where they live in the world. dent loans. This relief is targeted to reach creasing the maximum Pell grant, which will This means we must invest more in our those most in need . . . students and families contribute to our mutual goal of higher edu- most valuable resource—our people—and this making between $26,000 and $68,000. When cation for all Americans. bill would do just that. fully phased in, this legislation will save the Mr. SIRES. Madam Speaker, I rise today in For example, this bill will save the average typical borrower in California with $15,125 in support of H.R. 5, the College Student Relief student borrower who starts at a four-year col- subsidized federal student loan debt approxi- Act, which cuts interest rates in half over the lege in California next year nearly $2,500 over mately $4,830 over the life of their loan. All next five years for undergraduate students the life of a loan—and will save the same stu- told, this legislation will provide students with with subsidized loans. As a former teacher, I dent who starts in 2011 nearly $5,000 over the $5.5 billion in financial relief and is entirely understand how important education is to life of a loan. paid for through adjustments in lender rates, every child. It ensures that everyone has the Those savings are necessary to make a dif- participation fees for financial institutions and opportunity to succeed and to make the most ference in the lives of millions of Americans collection fees for defaulted loans. of their dreams. and in the life of our country as to success I urge my colleagues to join me in sup- Yet college is soaring out of reach for Amer- over failure. porting this legislation. By doing so we will ican students. Today the average student I urge my colleagues to join me in support take an important step to improve access to graduates with $17,500 in loan debt; almost of this bill. higher education across the country as well as 45 percent more than just 11 years ago. H.R. Mr. WELCH of Vermont. Madam Speaker, I helping to relieve the burden on middle class 5 makes a great first step in reducing the bur- am proud, as part of our first 100 hours, that families across the nation. den on students with these loans. In my home Congress has committed to expanding higher Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. state of New Jersey, the typical student loan education opportunities to more Americans. Madam Speaker, I yield back the bal- borrower will save approximately $4,600 over Education has always been the great equal- ance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time the life of their loan because of this legislation. izer in this country. With each generation for debate has expired. Not only does this bill make college more doors are opened through greater access to Pursuant to House Resolution 65, the affordable, it does so without further increas- education. bill is considered read and the previous ing the nation’s debt. Specifically, this bill is The health of our economy and prosperity of our middle class rests on having a highly- question is ordered. paid for by six modest reductions in various The question is on the engrossment skilled and well-educated workforce. We all subsidies to lenders and guaranty agencies. and third reading of the bill. know stories of working class families strug- I urge everyone to support making college The bill was ordered to be engrossed gling to make ends meet to put a child, some- more affordable by voting in favor of this legis- and read a third time, and was read the times the family’s first generation, through col- lation. third time. Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Madam Speaker, lege. It is a struggle millions of families go MOTION TO RECOMMIT OFFERED BY MR. MCKEON Ohio students and their families are struggling. through, as college costs skyrocket year after Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I In fact, Ohio ranks 49th in affordability of col- year. Reducing the debt burden these families offer a motion to recommit. lege. and students face is the least Congress can The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the Sadly, this is a barrier many hard-working do to help meet their commitment and sac- gentleman opposed to the bill? families cannot overcome. Bright young Ohio- rifice. Mr. MCKEON. I am. ans are being shut out because college costs H.R. 5 will provide a significant reduction in The SPEAKER pro tempore. The too much. student loan interest rates for students who Clerk will report the motion to recom- Today, by cutting student loan rates in half, borrow under the subsidized student loan pro- mit. we are opening up important opportunities for gram. The Clerk read as follows: thousands of young Ohioans and young peo- This legislation is worthy in its intent and it Mr. McKeon moves to recommit the bill ple across the nation. is legislation I support. However, it is my hope H.R. 5 to the Committee on Education and

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:25 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A17JA7.041 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H629 Labor with instructions to report the same fact, it would allow reductions to take Madam Speaker, I yield back the bal- back to the House forthwith with the fol- place as scheduled for many of the very ance of my time. lowing amendment: same graduates who would benefit from Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. At the end of the bill, add the following them in the first place. However, to en- Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to new section: sure that those graduates who could the motion. SEC. ll. BENEFITS CONTINGENT ON INCOME OR MILITARY SERVICE. pay their loans under a higher interest The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- (a) ELIGIBILITY FOR REDUCED RATES.—Not- rate will do so, this motion establishes tleman from California is recognized withstanding the amendments made by sec- an income cap of $65,000, the income for 5 minutes. tion 2 of this Act, a borrower shall not be eli- level at which the existing student Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. gible for a reduced interest rate under the loan tax deduction is phased out, at Madam Speaker, I would hope that the amendments made by such section for any which the interest rate for a loan will House would turn down this motion to year during the repayment period of the loan revert back to the current level of 6.8 recommit because if you don’t, there is unless— percent. going to be an awful lot of people who (1) the borrower demonstrates, in accord- That is almost twice the average are going to be terribly disappointed. ance with regulations prescribed by the Sec- family income of a student eligible to retary, that the borrower’s adjusted gross in- This motion as presented today come for the most recently preceding year receive a subsidized student loan. How- would knock almost a million students was less than $65,000; or ever, graduates who may not have as out of the benefits of this legislation, (2) the borrower, during any part of that high an income, those men and women the benefits of a reduced interest rate year— who need a little extra help after grad- on their college loans. (A) is serving on active duty during a war uation, will see their interest rate stay This motion if it is accepted would or other military operation or national at the same exact level as directed by mean that families that might have emergency (as such term is defined in sec- this legislation, as will active duty one, two or maybe three kids in col- tion 481(d)(4) of the Higher Education Act of Armed Forces personnel. lege, if they earn more than $68,000, 1965 (20 U.S.C. 188(d)(4)); or This means for many first respond- (B) is performing qualifying National they wouldn’t get the benefits of this Guard duty during a war or other military ers, nurses, teachers and other grad- program. operation or national emergency (as such uates who choose public careers, their This amendment, as offered and if it term is defined in section 481(d)(5) of such interest rates will remain as scheduled, is accepted, means that perhaps a fire- Act (20 U.S.C. 188(d)(5)). under H.R. 5. In other words, this mo- fighter who is married to a teacher or (b) INCOME VERIFICATION.—In prescribing tion will maintain most of the same teachers who are married to one an- regulations for purposes of subsection (a)(1), borrower benefits embraced by the other would not be able to get the ben- the Secretary shall provide methods for Democratic leadership. However, un- verifying the adjusted gross income of a bor- efits of this program for their families. like H.R. 5, this motion reduces college Is that what we want to do? Is that rower that are, as nearly as practical, iden- loan interest rates and then some. By tical to the methods used to determine ad- what we really want to do? We knock a justed gross income and to verify that in- making the interest cap adjustment I million of the 5.5 million beneficiaries come for borrowers of income contingent just described, this motion will gen- off eligibility for this interest rate re- loans under section 455(e) of the Higher Edu- erate additional savings within the leg- duction? Do we want to knock off fami- cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(e)). islation, savings that can be directed lies that may have more than one child Mr. MCKEON (during the reading). toward deficit reduction or an increase in college off of this ability to benefit Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous con- in need-based aid such as Pell Grants. from the interest reduction? Do we sent that the motion be considered as I have argued throughout today’s de- want to take middle-class families, bate, and for years, frankly, that our read and printed in the RECORD. where a teacher might be married to a The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there first priority in higher education must firefighter or teacher married to a objection to the request of the gen- be to expand access for low- and mid- nurse, and say to them, you are not eli- tleman from California? dle-income students. This motion em- gible for this? I don’t think you want bodies that very philosophy. There was no objection. to do, and I certainly know that the With the savings we will generate as The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Congress doesn’t want to do that. part of this motion, we could provide ant to the rule, the gentleman from This is aimed, based upon income, more aid to a student struggling just California is recognized for 5 minutes the cost of the institution you go to, to find the means to pay for college. in support of his motion. the number of children in your family, Sadly, more than 400,000 students are Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, as I fully prepared to attend 4-year college, income determinate, you get a subsidy. have said repeatedly today, the process but will be unable to do so due to What they want to do now is put a cap followed to get this bill to the floor record high financial barriers, accord- on the income of about $65,000, which was badly flawed, and the legislation in ing to the Advisory Committee on Stu- means if you have more than one child question is a reflection of that. Our in- dent Financial Assistance. For these or two children in college, you still ability to amend the bill means that students, the promise of a college edu- have the income cap and you can’t get the bill we have before us today is ex- cation is an empty one, and for our Na- help. actly the same well-intentioned, yet tion, the loss of human capital is a se- So we are sending a message that you completely misdirected proposal the rious economic and social tragedy. can help make your first child, but not majority leader thrust upon us just Under H.R. 5, highly paid college the second child? That is what we are days ago. graduates would reap the benefits, but going to tell families? Their income Our friends on the other side of the those struggling to find a way into didn’t go up, but their cost just went aisle have been touting H.R. 5 as a stu- school, they are forgotten altogether. up because another child is eligible for dent aid bill during this debate. How- It is ironic that the very same Mem- college? Another child said, I want to ever, as we have pointed out time after bers who supported the minimum wage go to college. The family has to say, time, not a single college student or increase a week ago for ‘‘fairness’’ rea- We can’t help you because there is a potential college student will benefit sons are today champions of a bill that cap. from this legislation. It impacts only would undermine that same principle. That is why this is called the sub- those who graduate when, by defini- Madam Speaker, a ‘‘yes’’ vote on this sidized loan program, because we rec- tion, they are no longer students. motion is a vote for lower college loan ognize there are people within the mid- However, Madam Speaker, this mo- interest rates, more needs-based aid, dle class, at the lower end of the mid- tion would transform H.R. 5 from a and additional funds to pay down the dle class who need this help. Two and a critically flawed gimmick into a Federal deficit. A ‘‘no’’ vote is a vote half million of the recipients are eligi- proactive measure that indeed could for providing benefits to well-paid ble for Pell. They are going to get this benefit borrowers, students, and tax- graduates, not low-income students. help. That is what this is designed for. payers alike. Let’s give borrowers, students, and This is designed for those families in To begin, this motion would not taxpayers a better deal. Let’s improve the middle class that need this kind of block the new majority’s promise to re- this flawed legislation. Let’s vote interest rate help and is designed for duce college loan interest rates. In ‘‘yes’’ on this motion to recommit. those in Pell who still need additional

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:25 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00055 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A17JA7.064 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE H630 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 17, 2007 money to go to school. That is why we Conaway Inglis (SC) Price (GA) Marshall Payne Smith (NJ) picked this category of people. Crenshaw Issa Pryce (OH) Matheson Pelosi Smith (WA) Cubin Jindal Putnam Matsui Perlmutter Snyder But to now tell hardworking Ameri- Culberson Jones (NC) Radanovich McCarthy (NY) Peterson (MN) Solis cans because of a cap you pulled out of Davis (KY) Jordan Regula McCollum (MN) Pomeroy Space the sky in the last 5 minutes that they Davis, David Keller Rehberg McDermott Porter Spratt Davis, Jo Ann King (IA) Renzi McGovern Price (NC) Stark can’t help their children with the cost Davis, Tom King (NY) Reynolds McHugh Rahall Stupak of education, that they are not eligible Deal (GA) Kingston Rogers (AL) McIntyre Ramstad Sutton for this subsidy of cutting the interest Dent Kirk Rogers (KY) McNerney Rangel Tanner rate from 6.8 to 3.4 percent, I don’t get Diaz-Balart, L. Kline (MN) Rogers (MI) McNulty Reichert Tauscher Diaz-Balart, M. Knollenberg Rohrabacher Meehan Reyes Taylor it. I don’t understand it, and I don’t Doolittle Kuhl (NY) Ros-Lehtinen Meek (FL) Rodriguez Thompson (CA) think the Congress should support it. Drake LaHood Roskam Meeks (NY) Ross Thompson (MS) I don’t think that is the message that Dreier Lamborn Royce Melancon Rothman Tierney Duncan Latham Ryan (WI) Michaud Roybal-Allard Towns we want to send to those working fami- Millender- Ruppersberger Udall (CO) Ehlers LaTourette Sali Emerson Lewis (CA) McDonald Rush Udall (NM) lies. I don’t think that is what we want Saxton English (PA) Lewis (KY) Miller (NC) Ryan (OH) Van Hollen to do. Schmidt Everett Linder Miller, George Salazar Vela´ zquez Sensenbrenner You think of your districts and you Fallin Lungren, Daniel Mitchell Sa´ nchez, Linda Visclosky Sessions think of somebody with a family in- Feeney E. Mollohan T. Walz (MN) Shadegg Ferguson Mack Moore (KS) Sanchez, Loretta Wasserman come of $65,000, and you start thinking Shays who you are telling, you are not pre- Flake Manzullo Moore (WI) Sarbanes Schultz Forbes Marchant Shimkus Moran (VA) Schakowsky Waters pared to help with reducing the cost of Fortenberry McCarthy (CA) Shuster Murphy (CT) Schiff Watson college for those families. Start think- Fossella McCaul (TX) Simpson Murphy, Patrick Schwartz Watt Smith (NE) ing now because you are going to vote Foxx McCotter Murtha Scott (GA) Waxman Franks (AZ) McCrery Smith (TX) Nadler Scott (VA) Weiner in a few minutes. Think about that Frelinghuysen McHenry Souder Napolitano Serrano Welch (VT) family, two parents working their tails Gallegly McKeon Stearns Neal (MA) Sestak Weller off to make ends meet. They are fire- Garrett (NJ) McMorris Sullivan Oberstar Shea-Porter Wexler Tancredo fighters, construction workers. They Gerlach Rodgers Olver Sherman Wilson (OH) Gilchrest Mica Terry Ortiz Shuler Woolsey don’t work all year round. They get Gillmor Miller (FL) Thornberry Pallone Sires Wu laid off. They are married to a nurse or Gingrey Miller (MI) Tiahrt Pascrell Skelton Wynn a teacher or a policeman. All of a sud- Gohmert Miller, Gary Tiberi Pastor Slaughter Yarmuth Goode Moran (KS) Turner den they find out that they are not eli- Goodlatte Murphy, Tim Upton NOT VOTING—8 gible for this. Granger Musgrave Walberg Aderholt Calvert Norwood I ask this House to give this a re- Graves Myrick Walden (OR) Burton (IN) Johnson, Sam Obey Hall (TX) Neugebauer Walsh (NY) Buyer Lucas sounding ‘‘no.’’ This isn’t fair, it isn’t Hastert Nunes Wamp just, and it is wrong. It is going to Hastings (WA) Paul Weldon (FL) b 1726 drive up the cost of college for the very Hayes Pearce Westmoreland families and students who need it the Heller Pence Whitfield Mr. KLEIN of Florida changed his Hensarling Peterson (PA) Wicker vote from ‘‘yea’’ to ‘‘nay.’’ most. Herger Petri Wilson (NM) Madam Speaker, I yield back the bal- Hobson Pickering Wilson (SC) Mr. RENZI changed his vote from ance of my time. Hoekstra Pitts Wolf ‘‘nay’’ to ‘‘yea.’’ Hulshof Platts Young (AK) So the motion to recommit was re- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without Hunter Poe Young (FL) objection, the previous question is or- jected. dered on the motion to recommit. NAYS—241 The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. There was no objection. Abercrombie Costello Hinchey The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Ackerman Courtney Hinojosa The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. question is on the motion to recommit. Allen Cramer Hirono CARDOZA). The question is on the pas- Altmire Crowley Hodes The question was taken; and the sage of the bill. Andrews Cuellar Holden The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that Arcuri Cummings Holt the noes appeared to have it. Baca Davis (AL) Honda Speaker pro tempore announced that Baird Davis (CA) Hooley the ayes appeared to have it. Mr. MCKEON. Madam Speaker, I ob- Baldwin Davis (IL) Hoyer Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. ject to the vote on the ground that a Barrow Davis, Lincoln Inslee quorum is not present and make the Bean DeFazio Israel Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas Becerra DeGette Jackson (IL) and nays. point of order that a quorum is not Berkley Delahunt Jackson-Lee present. The yeas and nays were ordered. Berman DeLauro (TX) The SPEAKER pro tempore. This The SPEAKER pro tempore. Evi- Berry Dicks Jefferson will be a 5-minute vote. dently a quorum is not present. Bishop (GA) Dingell Johnson (GA) Bishop (NY) Doggett Johnson (IL) The vote was taken by electronic de- The Sergeant at Arms will notify ab- Blumenauer Donnelly Johnson, E. B. vice, and there were—yeas 356, nays 71, sent Members. Boren Doyle Jones (OH) not voting 8, as follows: Pursuant to clause 8 and clause 9 of Boswell Edwards Kagen Boucher Ellison Kanjorski [Roll No. 32] rule XX, this 15-minute vote on the Boyd (FL) Ellsworth Kaptur motion to recommit will be followed by Boyda (KS) Emanuel Kennedy YEAS—356 5-minute votes on passage of H.R. 5, if Brady (PA) Engel Kildee Abercrombie Bishop (NY) Carnahan ordered, and the motion to suspend on Braley (IA) Eshoo Kilpatrick Ackerman Blumenauer Carney Brown, Corrine Etheridge Kind Akin Bono Carson H. Res. 58. Brown-Waite, Farr Klein (FL) Alexander Boozman Castle The vote was taken by electronic de- Ginny Fattah Kucinich Allen Boren Castor vice, and there were—yeas 186, nays Butterfield Filner Lampson Altmire Boswell Chabot Capps Frank (MA) Langevin Andrews Boucher Chandler 241, not voting 8, as follows: Capuano Giffords Lantos Arcuri Boustany Clarke [Roll No. 31] Cardoza Gillibrand Larsen (WA) Baca Boyd (FL) Clay Carnahan Gonzalez Larson (CT) Bachus Boyda (KS) Cleaver YEAS—186 Carney Gordon Lee Baird Brady (PA) Clyburn Akin Bishop (UT) Burgess Carson Green, Al Levin Baldwin Braley (IA) Cohen Alexander Blackburn Camp (MI) Castor Green, Gene Lewis (GA) Barrow Brown, Corrine Cole (OK) Bachmann Blunt Campbell (CA) Chandler Grijalva Lipinski Bartlett (MD) Brown-Waite, Conyers Bachus Boehner Cannon Clarke Gutierrez LoBiondo Bean Ginny Cooper Baker Bonner Cantor Clay Hall (NY) Loebsack Becerra Buchanan Costa Barrett (SC) Bono Capito Cleaver Hare Lofgren, Zoe Berkley Butterfield Costello Bartlett (MD) Boozman Carter Clyburn Harman Lowey Berman Camp (MI) Courtney Barton (TX) Boustany Castle Cohen Hastings (FL) Lynch Berry Capito Cramer Biggert Brady (TX) Chabot Conyers Herseth Mahoney (FL) Biggert Capps Crenshaw Bilbray Brown (SC) Coble Cooper Higgins Maloney (NY) Bilirakis Capuano Crowley Bilirakis Buchanan Cole (OK) Costa Hill Markey Bishop (GA) Cardoza Cubin

VerDate Aug 31 2005 05:25 Jan 18, 2007 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K17JA7.097 H17JAPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMHOUSE January 17, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H631 Cuellar Keller Regula NAYS—71 Davis (IL) Jackson-Lee Nadler Cummings Kennedy Rehberg Davis (KY) (TX) Neal (MA) Bachmann Flake McHenry Davis (AL) Kildee Reichert Davis, David Jefferson Neugebauer Baker Fortenberry McKeon Davis (CA) Kilpatrick Renzi Davis, Jo Ann Jindal Nunes Barrett (SC) Foxx Mica Davis (IL) Kind Reyes Davis, Lincoln Johnson (GA) Oberstar Barton (TX) Franks (AZ) Musgrave Davis (KY) King (NY) Reynolds Johnson (IL) Olver Bilbray Garrett (NJ) Myrick Davis, Tom Davis, David Kirk Johnson, E. B. Ortiz Rodriguez Bishop (UT) Gingrey Neugebauer Deal (GA) Davis, Jo Ann Klein (FL) Jones (NC) Pallone Rogers (AL) Blackburn Granger Nunes DeFazio Davis, Lincoln Knollenberg Jones (OH) Pascrell Rogers (KY) Blunt Hastert Pence DeGette Davis, Tom Kucinich Jordan Pastor Rogers (MI) Boehner Hensarling Price (GA) Delahunt DeFazio Kuhl (NY) Kagen Paul Rohrabacher Bonner Herger Putnam DeLauro Kanjorski DeGette LaHood Ros-Lehtinen Brady (TX) Hoekstra Radanovich Dent Payne Delahunt Lampson Roskam Brown (SC) Issa Ryan (WI) Diaz-Balart, L. Kaptur Pearce DeLauro Langevin Ross Burgess Jordan Sali Diaz-Balart, M. Keller Pelosi Dent Lantos Rothman Campbell (CA) King (IA) Schmidt Dicks Kennedy Pence Diaz-Balart, L. Larsen (WA) Roybal-Allard Cannon Kingston Sensenbrenner Dingell Kildee Perlmutter Diaz-Balart, M. Larson (CT) Royce Cantor Kline (MN) Sessions Doggett Kilpatrick Peterson (MN) Dicks Latham Ruppersberger Carter Lamborn Shadegg Donnelly Kind Peterson (PA) Dingell LaTourette Rush Coble Lewis (CA) Smith (NE) Doolittle King (IA) Petri Doggett Lee Ryan (OH) Conaway Linder Souder Doyle King (NY) Pickering Donnelly Levin Salazar Culberson Lungren, Daniel Tancredo Drake Kingston Pitts Doyle Lewis (GA) Sa´ nchez, Linda Deal (GA) E. Thornberry Dreier Kirk Platts Drake Lewis (KY) T. Doolittle Mack Westmoreland Duncan Klein (FL) Pomeroy Duncan Lipinski Sanchez, Loretta Dreier Marchant Wicker Edwards Kline (MN) Porter Edwards LoBiondo Sarbanes Feeney McCrery Wilson (SC) Ehlers Knollenberg Price (GA) Ehlers Loebsack Saxton Ellison Kucinich Price (NC) Ellison Lofgren, Zoe Schakowsky NOT VOTING—8 Ellsworth Kuhl (NY) Pryce (OH) Ellsworth Lowey Schiff Aderholt Calvert Norwood Emanuel LaHood Putnam Emanuel Lynch Schwartz Burton (IN) Johnson, Sam Obey Emerson Lamborn Radanovich Emerson Mahoney (FL) Scott (GA) Buyer Lucas Engel Lampson Rahall Engel Maloney (NY) Scott (VA) English (PA) Langevin Ramstad English (PA) Manzullo Serrano b 1735 Eshoo Lantos Rangel Eshoo Markey Sestak Etheridge Larsen (WA) Regula Etheridge Marshall Shays So the bill was passed. Everett Larson (CT) Rehberg Everett Matheson Shea-Porter The result of the vote was announced Fallin Latham Reichert Fallin Matsui LaTourette Renzi Sherman as above recorded. Farr Farr McCarthy (CA) Shimkus Fattah Lee Reyes Fattah McCarthy (NY) Shuler A motion to reconsider was laid on Feeney Levin Reynolds Ferguson McCaul (TX) Shuster the table. Ferguson Lewis (CA) Rodriguez Filner McCollum (MN) Simpson Filner Lewis (GA) Rogers (MI) Forbes McCotter Sires f Flake Lewis (KY) Rohrabacher Fossella McDermott Skelton Forbes Linder Ros-Lehtinen Frank (MA) McGovern Slaughter Fortenberry Lipinski Roskam Frelinghuysen McHugh HONORING MUHAMMAD ALI ON LoBiondo Ross Smith (NJ) HIS 65TH BIRTHDAY Fossella Gallegly McIntyre Smith (TX) Foxx Loebsack Rothman Gerlach McMorris Smith (WA) The SPEAKER. The pending business Frank (MA) Lofgren, Zoe Roybal-Allard Giffords Rodgers Lowey Royce Snyder is the question of suspending the rules Franks (AZ) Gilchrest McNerney Solis Frelinghuysen Lungren, Daniel Ruppersberger Gillibrand McNulty Space and agreeing to the resolution, H. Res. Gallegly E. Rush Gillmor Meehan Spratt 58. Garrett (NJ) Lynch Ryan (OH) Gohmert Meek (FL) Stark Gerlach Mack Ryan (WI) Gonzalez Meeks (NY) The Clerk read the title of the resolu- Mahoney (FL) Salazar Stearns tion. Giffords Goode Melancon Stupak Gilchrest Maloney (NY) Sali ´ Goodlatte Michaud Sullivan The SPEAKER. The question is on Gillibrand Manzullo Sanchez, Linda Gordon Millender- Sutton the motion offered by the gentleman Gillmor Marchant T. Graves McDonald Tanner Gingrey Markey Sanchez, Loretta Green, Al Miller (FL) from Illinois (Mr. DAVIS) that the Tauscher Gohmert Marshall Sarbanes Green, Gene Miller (MI) Matheson Saxton Taylor House suspend the rules and agree to Gonzalez Grijalva Miller (NC) Matsui Schakowsky Terry the resolution, H. Res. 58, on which the Goode Gutierrez Miller, Gary McCarthy (NY) Schiff Thompson (CA) Goodlatte Hall (NY) Miller, George yeas and nays are ordered. McCaul (TX) Schmidt Thompson (MS) Gordon Hall (TX) Mitchell This will be a 5-minute vote. McCollum (MN) Schwartz Tiahrt Granger Hare Mollohan McCotter Scott (GA) Tiberi The vote was taken by electronic de- Graves Harman Moore (KS) McCrery Scott (VA) Tierney vice, and there were—yeas 421, nays 0, Green, Al Hastings (FL) Moore (WI) McDermott Sensenbrenner Towns Green, Gene Hastings (WA) Moran (KS) not voting 14, as follows: McGovern Serrano Turner Grijalva Hayes Moran (VA) McHenry Sessions Udall (CO) [Roll No. 33] Gutierrez Heller Murphy (CT) McHugh Sestak Herseth Murphy, Patrick Udall (NM) YEAS—421 Hall (NY) McIntyre Shadegg Higgins Murphy, Tim Upton Abercrombie Blumenauer Carnahan Hall (TX) McKeon Shays Hill Murtha Van Hollen Ackerman Blunt Carney Hare McMorris Shea-Porter ´ Hinchey Nadler Velazquez Akin Boehner Carson Harman Rodgers Sherman Hinojosa Napolitano Visclosky Alexander Bonner Carter Hastert McNerney Shimkus Hirono Neal (MA) Walberg Allen Bono Castle Hastings (FL) McNulty Shuler Hobson Oberstar Walden (OR) Altmire Boozman Castor Hastings (WA) Meehan Shuster Hodes Olver Walsh (NY) Andrews Boren Chabot Hayes Meek (FL) Simpson Holden Ortiz Walz (MN) Arcuri Boswell Chandler Heller Meeks (NY) Sires Holt Pallone Wamp Baca Boucher Clarke Hensarling Melancon Skelton Honda Pascrell Wasserman Bachmann Boustany Clay Herger Mica Slaughter Hooley Pastor Schultz Bachus Boyd (FL) Cleaver Herseth Michaud Smith (NE) Hoyer Paul Waters Baird Boyda (KS) Clyburn Higgins Millender- Smith (NJ) Hulshof Payne Watson Baker Brady (PA) Coble Hill McDonald Smith (TX) Hunter Pearce Watt Baldwin Brady (TX) Cohen Hinchey Miller (FL) Smith (WA) Inglis (SC) Pelosi Waxman Barrett (SC) Braley (IA) Cole (OK) Hinojosa Miller (MI) Snyder Inslee Perlmutter Weiner Barrow Brown (SC) Conaway Hirono Miller (NC) Solis Israel Peterson (MN) Welch (VT) Bartlett (MD) Brown, Corrine Conyers Hobson Miller, Gary Souder Jackson (IL) Peterson (PA) Weldon (FL) Barton (TX) Brown-Waite, Cooper Hodes Miller, George Space Jackson-Lee Petri Weller Bean Ginny Costa Hoekstra Mitchell Spratt (TX) Pickering Wexler Becerra Buchanan Costello Holden Mollohan Stark Jefferson Pitts Whitfield Berkley Burgess Courtney Holt Moore (KS) Stearns Jindal Platts Wilson (NM) Berman Butterfield Cramer Honda Moore (WI) Stupak Johnson (GA) Poe Wilson (OH) Berry Camp (MI) Crenshaw Hooley Moran (KS) Sullivan Johnson (IL) Pomeroy Wolf Biggert Campbell (CA) Crowley Hoyer Moran (VA) Sutton Johnson, E. B. Porter Woolsey Bilbray Cannon Cubin Hulshof Murphy (CT) Tancredo Jones (NC) Price (NC) Wu Bilirakis Cantor Cuellar Inglis (SC) Murphy, Patrick Tanner Jones (OH) Pryce (OH) Wynn Bishop (GA) Capito Culberson Inslee Murphy, Tim Tauscher Kagen Rahall Yarmuth Bishop (NY) Capps Cummings Israel Murtha Taylor Kanjorski Ramstad Young (AK) Bishop (UT) Capuano Davis (AL) Issa Musgrave Terry Kaptur Rangel Young (FL) Blackburn Cardoza Davis (CA) Jackson (IL) Myrick Thompson (CA)

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