Extension Of The Higher Education Act

EXTENSION OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT -- (Extensions of Remarks - September 29, 2006)

SPEECH OF HON. BETTY McCOLLUM OF MINNESOTA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2006

* Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, once again, I rise today to support an extension of the Higher Education Act, and to express my concern for the dangerous direction in which this Congress has taken our country's college students and our nation's valued higher education system.

* We should be voting on a bill today that would make college more affordable and make a higher education attainable for Americans. Today, we are once again voting on the sixth HEA extension--which maintains the status quo--despite skyrocketing college costs and cuts to student financial aid earlier this year. Our students and higher education system will have to continue to wait for legislation improving college access and affordability. This Republican Congress has failed to make access to higher education or our global competitiveness a priority. This became clear to me and the families of my District when Republicans voted earlier this year to cut $12 billion from the student loan program--the largest cuts in the history of federal student financial aid and is further evidenced by the failure to move HEA to the top of the agenda.

* The only good news is in this extension. The good news is that the current law that will be extended today is better than the Republican bill to reauthorize the Higher Education Act, H.R. 609, which does nothing to make college more affordable for students--the expressed purpose of the Higher Education Act. In addition, this extension includes provisions that will make it easier for Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) to serve their students. I applaud these changes.

* But more must be done for American students and their families. I support Democratic plans to provide substantive increases to the Pell Grant and to cut the student loan interest rates in half. As a cosponsor of the Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Act, I believe that Congress can be a better partner for students and families in making college more affordable. We must recommit federal resources to increase the purchasing power of the Pell Grant and to ensure student loans are affordable.

* As I've stated in earlier extensions--today, this temporary extension is necessary, but I will continue to work to ensure that college students are not forced to bear the weight of this Republican Congress's irresponsible fiscal policies that have slashed student aid in order to pay for tax cuts that only benefit one percent of the nation's wealthiest.

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