E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 159 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, JULY 9, 2013 No. 97 Senate The Senate met at 10 a.m. and was RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY was a boy, we always looked at that called to order by the Honorable LEADER American dream as getting a college TAMMY BALDWIN, a Senator from the The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- education, which, from where I came State of Wisconsin. pore. The majority leader is recog- from, wasn’t going to happen very nized. often. Now the American dream is PRAYER more than just getting an associate’s f The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- degree or a bachelor’s degree. It in- fered the following prayer: KEEP STUDENT LOANS AFFORD- volves many other occupations, all of Let us pray. ABLE ACT OF 2013—MOTION TO the things available in health care Lord God almighty, recreate our PROCEED now, such as nursing, nursing assist- hearts to love You above all. Rule our Mr. REID. I move to proceed to Cal- ants, all of the technicians, the people lives, creating in us a passion to do endar No. 124, S. 1238, Senator REED’s who do physical therapy—not physical Your will. Give our lawmakers renewed student loan bill. therapists but people who help doctors strength and resilience to honor You in The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- do what they need to do. We have pro- their work. May they do their best pore. The clerk will report the bill by grams to become a physician’s assist- today as an expression of love and grat- title. ant. There are many programs that are itude to You. Lord, replace weariness The legislative clerk read as follows: important to be able to fulfill that with well-being, anxiety with assur- A bill (S. 1238) to amend the Higher Edu- American dream. There are all dif- ance, and caution with courage. cation Act of 1965 to extend the current re- ferent kinds of programs for computer We pray in Your great Name. Amen. duced interest rate for undergraduate Fed- training separate and apart from get- eral Direct Stafford Loans for 1 year, to f ting a bachelor’s degree. Those pro- modify required distribution rules for pen- grams are extremely important. The PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE sion plans, and for other purposes. reason they are important is we as The PRESIDING OFFICER led the SCHEDULE Americans have decided that with the Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: Mr. REID. Madam President, fol- cost of education skyrocketing as it is, I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the lowing my remarks and those of my students should get some help, whether United States of America, and to the Repub- Republican counterpart, the time until they are seeking a degree in engineer- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, 11 a.m. will be equally divided and con- ing or getting into a program to begin indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. trolled, with the majority controlling some computer training to have jobs f the first half and the Republicans con- they want for the rest of their lives. APPOINTMENT OF ACTING trolling the final half. College has never been more expen- At 11 a.m. the Senate will proceed to PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE sive and further out of reach for Amer- executive session to consider the nomi- ican families. That is why it is critical The PRESIDING OFFICER. The nation of Jennifer Dorsey to be U.S. that we keep interest rates low on Fed- clerk will please read a communication district judge for the District of Ne- eral student loans so more promising to the Senate from the President pro vada. At noon there will be a rollcall students can realize their dream of an tempore (Mr. LEAHY). vote on confirmation of the Dorsey education. The legislative clerk read the fol- nomination. I would add that the Last month Republicans rejected the lowing letter: chairman of the Judiciary Committee Democrats’ plan to freeze student loan U.S. SENATE, has asked that we hold that vote open interest rates at current levels for 2 PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, until 12:30 p.m. today because they are years without adding a penny to the Washington, DC, July 9, 2013. having a confirmation hearing on the deficit. Because of this obstruction, To the Senate: new Director of the FBI, Mr. Comey. loan rates doubled on July 1, piling Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby We will do that, and the vote will end thousands of dollars more on debt that appoint the Honorable TAMMY BALDWIN, a at 12:30 p.m. rather than 12:15 p.m. or more than 7 million students owe. Re- Senator from the State of Wisconsin, to per- 12:20 p.m. publicans are instead pushing a plan to form the duties of the Chair. Following that vote, the Senate will balance the budget on the backs of PATRICK J. LEAHY, recess from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. for struggling students. But if either the President pro tempore. our weekly caucus meetings. legislation passed by House Repub- Ms. BALDWIN thereupon assumed In America, this great country of licans or the plan proposed by Senate the chair as Acting President pro tem- ours, a quality education is the surest Republicans becomes law, student loan pore. path to the American dream. When I rates will more than double over the ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S5531 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 04:45 Jul 10, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A09JY6.000 S09JYPT1 jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with SENATE S5532 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 9, 2013 next few years as interest rates in- hold back the rising price of education. I am very impressed with her dedica- crease. Tomorrow the Senate will vote on tion to the State of Nevada, her com- Speaker BOEHNER says that the whether to even begin debate on our munity, and the legal profession. She House has acted and now the ball is in plan to keep loan rates low for an addi- will make an outstanding Federal the Senate’s court. We talked about tional year. judge for Nevada. I look forward to her that yesterday. What is he talking I very much admire the work done by confirmation. about—they have acted and now we Senator STABENOW, the chairman of RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY LEADER should act? I guess we could talk about the Agriculture Committee. She is The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- what they didn’t do last year on the someone who is very effective in con- pore. The Republican leader is recog- farm bill. I guess we could talk about veying a message. She has led the mes- nized. what they didn’t do last year on post sage for Democrats as to why we STANDING FOR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS offices. I guess we could talk about shouldn’t let these rates double, and Mr. MCCONNELL. Over the years we what they haven’t done this year on she will continue to do that. have seen repeated instances of indif- the farm bill. We could talk about what As I indicated earlier, we made a pro- ference to the rule of law on the part of they haven’t done that is so dev- posal to keep rates where they are for this administration. It is a consistent astating to small businesses around 2 years. We have made changes to our and worrisome path. The most recent America, and that is having people who proposal in an effort to meet Repub- example, of course, was last week’s an- are online and don’t build a single licans in the middle while protecting nouncement that the President had building, rent a single building—they students. Our plan shortens the exten- simply decided not to enforce a major get a different rate of return than do sion from 2 years to 1 year, and it piece of his health care law—that is, those in brick-and-mortar buildings. doesn’t add a penny to the debt. until after the midterm election. What They do that because they don’t have I spoke with the chairman of the Fi- the President was saying in effect was to pay sales tax. We could talk about nance Committee today. I said: MAX, that if he doesn’t want to implement why the Speaker is refusing to take up explain how we are paying for this. It the law he has signed, he doesn’t have something that is meaningful. is so simple. It is inherited IRAs, that to. As I say about this student loan people would pay after 5 years—they I agree it is a terrible law. I under- issue—and I just had a meeting that wouldn’t get the tax deduction after 5 stand why people harmed by it would ended a few minutes ago—if you can years. What our program does is it want it changed. In fact, I think we explain to me why these proposals the closes this obscure tax loophole that ought to repeal it altogether and opt Republicans have are better than just allows a few very wealthy individuals instead for real reforms that actually having the rates double, please do that.