[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 24, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H5489]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CUTS IN STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM AFFECT AVERAGE AMERICANS

  (Mr. FLAKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to bring attention to the 
dramatic real-life effects that the proposed cuts to Federal student 
loan programs and the elimination of the Department of Education will 
have on average Americans.
  I am one of 13 children born to parents of fifth and sixth grade 
educations. For families like mine and maybe even others, more 
importantly for the millions of middle-class taxpayers, the American 
dream of education and improving their lives for the next generation 
will be just that, a dream.
  On Saturday I received my doctor-of-ministry degree. For the most 
part I earned my degree because of my personal commitment to self-
improvement and self-responsibility and the fact that somebody along 
the way cared about my future.
  Without the National Defense Student Loan Program, I would not have 
even had the opportunity to go to college in the first place. It was a 
loan. I paid it back. Others will do the same thing if given the 
opportunity.
  We must be mindful that even with all of our ivory tower exhortations 
about the virtues we hold dear, somebody out there in real life places 
outside of Washington needs a helping hand. We should care enough, even 
if nobody else does, to help them to make their American dream come 
true by getting the best education they can. We can do it by 
maintaining student support.


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