[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 56 (Thursday, May 7, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E792-E793]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HIGHER EDUCATION AMENDMENTS OF 1998

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. ALLEN BOYD, JR.

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 6, 1998

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 6) to extend 
     the authorization of programs under the Higher Education Act 
     of 1965, and for other purposes:


  Mr. BOYD. Mr. Chairman, in a recent press conference, President 
Clinton said that ``the most principled compromise will leave both 
sides unhappy.'' Every person in this chamber knows the truth in that 
statement.
  Our colleagues, Mr. Goodling and Mr. Kildee, have produced such a 
principled compromise on the student loan interest rate issue

[[Page E793]]

in H.R. 6. This agreement is the result of a year of difficult 
negotiations, and I believe that we should respect and honor their 
efforts. As Mr. Kildee pointed out the other day on the floor, the 
compromise is based on the Administration's proposal to set the student 
interest rate at a point where it will be the lowest it has been in 17 
years.
  We need to ensure that this compromise is written into law. There is 
no time left for political posturing as the July 1st deadline is just 
days away.
  I want to thank my colleagues on the Education and Workforce 
Committee for their fine work on this principled compromise and urge my 
colleagues in the House to encourage the Senate to ratify it at the 
earliest possible data.

                          ____________________