[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 141 (Tuesday, September 12, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H8732]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             BALANCING THE BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF OUR YOUTH

  (Mrs. LOWEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, the Republican leadership says it is cutting 
student aid by more than $10 billion in order to shrink the deficit. 
What are the priorities of this Congress? Education is an investment 
that we must protect.
  Yesterday, I talked to students from Purchase College and 
Manhattanville College. Michael Henry is a 22-year-old Purchase College 
student from Forest Hills, NY. He works two jobs while in school. He 
drives a truck during the graveyard shift so he can attend classes 
during the day. I do not know when Michael sleeps. He is studying 
economics and hopes to start his own business. Without Federal 
financial aid, Michael said that he would not be able to attend 
college. What does this budget do? It threatens to rob us of the 
contribution of a bright, talented young person like Michael. It 
jeopardizes the dreams of a future entrepreneur who could contribute 
enormously to society.
  We need to shrink the deficit. We can not keep paying billions in 
interest payments on the debt. But we can lower the deficit without 
cutting education and robbing deserving young people of the chance to 
earn a decent living.
  A college education is an economic necessity. Let us not balance the 
budget on the backs of our Nation's deserving youth.


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