Providing for Consideration of H. R. 4137, College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007

Floor Speech

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 4137, COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY AND AFFORDABILITY ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - February 07, 2008)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. CASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007 and this rule because we are committed to making the cost of attending college more affordable and accessible. This is great news for hardworking, middle-class families and students across America and students in my hometown, which is a college town with thousands and thousands of students enrolled in the community college and at the University of South Florida.

There's great debate in Washington today over the economy and how we are going to provide relief to middle-class families. One of the answers is to address the soaring costs of attending college and keep the doors to a higher education open by making college affordable through grants and low-rate loans.

A college diploma is a critical step toward a higher paying job and success in life, and one of the best investments we can make for the future of our great Nation is to ensure that the doors to our colleges and universities remain wide open.

In my home State of Florida, unfortunately, we're undergoing a budget crisis, and the funding for higher education unfortunately has been targeted for millions and millions of dollars of cuts. This has resulted in the university and community college doors being kept shut for many students.

One student in my hometown in Tampa from Jefferson High School, Gabby Rodriguez, has a 4.3 grade point average, but because of the budget cuts in the State of Florida and the lack of student financial assistance, she may have to go to college out of State or put her college dreams on hold entirely.

So the passage of this crucial bill could not come at a better time. With passage of this bill, we will increase need-based aid and make the Federal Pell Grants more available to students.

You know, last year the Congress battled the Bush administration over the ability of first-generation students to attend college and work through the Upward Bound initiative. Well, we are focused on better jobs for the future, so we will strengthen the Upward Bound program through this bill today. We are focused on better jobs for the future, so we will provide loan forgiveness for graduates who decide to enter public service careers in areas of national need, such as early childhood educators, child welfare workers, and firefighters. We are focused on better jobs for the future, so we encourage students' interest in math, science, and technology through this bill.

Through the leadership of Chairman George Miller, who is a hero for college students throughout America, Congressman John Tierney, Ranking Member McKeon, Bobby Scott, Lynn Woolsey, all of the members of the Education and Labor Committee, I salute them and thank them for their leadership because, Mr. Speaker, this is an important bipartisan milestone for education.

I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the bill.

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