Providing for Consideration of Conference Report on H.R. 4137, Higher Education Opportunity Act

Floor Speech

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4137, HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY ACT

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Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1389 provides for consideration of the conference report on H.R. 4137, the Higher Education Opportunity Act. The rule, which is a traditional conference report rule, waives all points of order against the conference report and against its consideration, and provides that the conference report shall be considered as read.

It should be noted that despite the blanket waiver, the conference report does not violate either clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The conference report fully complies with the earmark and PAYGO rules of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Chairman Miller on his dedication to bringing this bill before us. I also want to thank Ranking Member McKeon and the rest of the Education and Labor Committee for their work on this bill. I also want to acknowledge Senator Kennedy for his hard work and constant commitment to this important issue.

It has been 10 years since the Higher Education Act was authorized, and with this conference agreement Congress will continue the vision of Lyndon Johnson's great society where college is accessible and affordable to every American.

As our Nation continues to experience economic uncertainty, it is imperative that we make a college education more affordable. The unfortunate reality is that skyrocketing costs are putting a college education out of the reach for many middle-class families.

According to a recent College Board report, over the last 5 years tuition and fees at 4-year public institutions have increased 31 percent after inflation. At private universities, tuition has increased 17 percent.

In addition to rising tuition, students and their families face a cumbersome Federal student aid application process that is overly complex and difficult to manage. Mr. Speaker, the Higher Education Opportunity Act will resolve many of these issues, thereby continuing this Congress' efforts to make college more affordable and accessible.

Nearly one year ago, the President signed into law landmark changes to lender subsidies and student aid, followed shortly after by a law to ensure access to loans and increase loan limits. And now, we are reauthorizing legislation that will, for the first time in 10 years, reform our higher education system so that it operates in the best interest of students and families.

Specifically, the bill will require colleges to report reasons for any tuition hikes, and plans for lowering student costs. H.R. 4137 will reform and simplify the student loan system by requiring institutions and lenders to adopt strict codes of conduct, many of which were included in the Sunshine Act which passed the House last year.

In an effort to be consumer friendly and provide full disclosure of all options available for each student, the bill requires the Secretary to develop a Web-based calculator to allow families to compare the costs of different colleges. And it also requires lenders to provide students with complete disclosure of the borrowing options, giving them 30 days after the approval of loans to find better deals.

Equally important, the bill provides for an increase in Pell Grant funding from $5,800 to $8,000. This will give more of our youth the opportunity to attend a university. The bill will also expand college access and support for low-income and minority students by allowing students to receive Pell Grant scholarship aid year around.

H.R. 4137 will also expand college opportunities for disabled citizens by expanding eligibility for Pell Grant scholarships and establishing a national center to provide support services.

During times of war, it is extremely important to ensure that our military families and returning veterans have the support services they deserve. This bill will increase college aid and support for veterans and military families, create a new scholarship program for active duty military personnel and their family members, and ensure fairness in student and housing aid for veterans.

The bill also encourages students who graduate from college to enter into public service in high-need areas by granting loan forgiveness. It also provides up to $2,000 a year for 5 years for nurses, teachers, mental health professionals, and other low-paying but crucial professionals. I know this loan assistance and forgiveness will help my home of State of California that is suffering from a lack of nurses, teachers, and other vital support professionals who protect and assist our children and most reliant Americans.

Simply put, this conference report will not only advance the opportunity for every American to go to college, but will also put us on track toward creating a better America.

As Lyndon Johnson said, ``We must open the doors of opportunity, but we must also equip our people to walk through those doors.'' Our Constitution creates those doors of opportunity, and today this bill will equip our constituents to walk through those doors.

I want to thank once again Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon for coming together on this important legislation. I stand strongly in support of the Higher Education Opportunity Act. This is long overdue, and I encourage all of my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Diaz-Balart, and I yield myself the balance of my time.

I would like to say, first, that nearly 80 percent of offshore oil is in areas that are already open for exploration. In fact, 68 million acres, onshore and offshore, are already under lease by oil companies, but not being drilled.

Democrats have said ``use it or lose it'' to the oil companies: drill the oil or give up the lease to someone who will. And Democrats have called for mandatory leasing in the National Petroleum
Reserve in Alaska, which has more oil than the Arctic Wildlife Refuge.

Oil companies have billions of barrels of American oil available to them right now, and the President's own Department of Energy says the impact of any new drilling will be insignificant, promising only pennies per gallon a decade or two down the road.

Under Democratic leadership, the Congress has enacted into law the first new vehicle fuel efficiency standards in 32 years, saving up to $1,000 in gas per car per year; a historic commitment to American-grown biofuels, which are keeping gas prices 15 percent lower now than they would otherwise be as a result of blended fuels; action to impact record gas prices by suspending oil purchasing for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve; recovery rebates that help Americans struggling with rising prices, including gas, with a check of $600 or more. And what we're doing today, making college more affordable, will help American working families.

Mr. Speaker, the rule before us today is a fair rule that allows us to highlight educational challenges and offers remedies for them in order to create a better tomorrow.

It is our responsibility to provide our constituents with greater access to a college education, especially at a time when the price of college is steadily increasing.

This bill will complete a year of important changes to higher education policy. Nearly 1 year ago, the Democratic Congress took the lead on landmark changes to lender subsidies and student aid, followed by a measure to ensure access to loans and increase loan limits. And now we will send the President yet another bill that makes college more affordable and address the student loan process.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the previous question and on the rule.

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