College Access and Opportunity Act of 2005

COLLEGE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - March 29, 2006)

Ms. WATERS. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose this legislation. I have an appreciation for those members on the Education Committee, many of whom have worked hard to try and put a decent product before this body, but this just doesn't make it.

I am disappointed that my amendment that would have helped to increase the teacher capacity and supply in the areas affected by Katrina and Rita and future disasters was not made in order. But I am more disappointed in that section of the bill that deals with the private post-secondary schools.

There is something called the 90-10 rule. The rationale for the 90-10 rule was that if the education provided was worth paying for, a company should be able to attract at least 10 percent of its students on a paying basis. But, no, these private post-secondary lobbyists have come in here, and they have thrown in the nonprofit schools and they have manipulated the rules so that this won't apply, so that basically they can get 100 percent of their money from the taxpayers. They go out and they recruit illiterates, they recruit the most vulnerable people, who should perhaps be trying to get a GED someplace, but they recruit them, and they help them to fill out the Pell Grants. They get the money. Many of them don't have qualified teachers, they do not have computers, and some even close down the schools, take the money, and then they show up under another name.

They are ripping off billions of dollars from the American taxpayers, and why they are able to wield their influence in this subcommittee, I just don't understand. It is a scandal. It has been reviewed and exposed by "60 Minute" and others on television, but we keep allowing the lobbyists to come in here and do what they want to do, to get richer and richer and basically undermine the ability of these vulnerable people who really do want to get an education.

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