College Access and Opportunity Act of 2005
COLLEGE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - March 29, 2006)
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Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to rise today in support of the Porter Amendment, which would extend student loan forgiveness to individuals employed full-time by a qualified public service employer.
In order to receive this loan forgiveness, individuals would commit to serving in areas of national need for 5 years. The underlying bill extends teacher loan forgiveness to select other groups who play critical roles in bettering the lives of millions of America's youth. From social workers and nurses to medicine specialists and lawyers, thousands of America's roll models will benefit from this vital provision. By removing the burden of student loan debt, this amendment will encourage trained professionals to seek careers in public service fields.
In South Carolina, I am specifically impressed by the tremendous dedication of speech language pathologists. Fortunately, speech language pathologists are included in the underlying bill and would also be eligible to receive the crucial student loan forgiveness. These talented and caring professionals dedicate their lives to helping children throughout our community who struggle with speech, language, or hearing disorders. As American schools struggle to recruit teaching professionals, we must do more to help promote these important careers to our Nation's best and brightest. My friend Congressman PORTER's amendment is an important way to increase the incentive for students to enter public service fields. Please join me in supporting this amendment today.
In conclusion, God bless our troops and we will never forget September 11.
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Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Chairman, as the global economy becomes increasingly competitive, Americans must have the skills and knowledge necessary to compete against workers throughout the world.
Preparing American workers begins in American schools. If our students fail to excel at math, science, and foreign languages, tomorrow's generation of workers will simply not be able to overcome the challenges of the international workforce.
My friend Congresswoman CATHY MCMORRIS is addressing this issue by offering fiscally responsible legislation to update the current Higher Education Act provisions and adapt them to meet the needs of the 21st century workforce. Specifically, this amendment will: Increase the number of Advanced Placement teachers; recruit well-qualified Americans to serve as adjunct teachers in high school math, science, and critical foreign language classes; and establish competitive teacher preparation programs to encourage students to advance from elementary school through college while achieving proficiency in foreign languages.
I encourage all of my colleagues to support this visionary legislation which will help American students, workers, and our economy.
In conclusion, God bless our troops and we will never forget September 11.
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