[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 24 (Thursday, March 7, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E304]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  GENERATING OPPORTUNITIES BY FORGIVING EDUCATIONAL DEBT FOR SERVICE 
                                (GOFEDS)

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 7, 2002

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, listening to the inspiring 
thoughts of Darin Johnson, I can't help but reflect on the words 
uttered over 40 years ago by President John F. Kennedy:
  ``In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been 
granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I 
do not shrink from this responsibility--I welcome it. I do not believe 
that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other 
generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this 
endeavor will light our country, and all who serve it--and the glow 
from that fire can truly light the world.
  And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for 
you--ask what you can do for your country.''
  There was perhaps no more eloquent a call to government service than 
this speech by President Kennedy. Even though our enemies may be 
different than they were in 1961, we are still charged with ``defending 
freedom in its hour of maximum danger.''
  In the aftermath of 9-11, many Americans, like Darin Johnson, are 
looking for ways to serve and ``make a difference'' for their country. 
In fact, according to data collected by the Partnership for Public 
Service, in the three months after September 11th, the number of 
applications for federal jobs received by the U.S. Office of Personnel 
Management's service centers increased by 14 percent. We need to seize 
this opportunity to hire a diverse group of the best and brightest 
women and men this country has to offer. However, we can't do this 
using outdated recruitment methods and incentives that penalize those 
who choose Federal service.
  That's why we are here today. With college tuition costs spiraling, 
many college graduates are left with huge loans to repay following 
graduation. Even those who are attracted to government employment, out 
of necessity, gravitate toward the higher salaries of the private 
sector in order to repay their personal debt.
  Although we are standing here on Capitol Hill, this is not just an 
``inside the Beltway issue.'' The reach of our Federal government is 
evident across our great nation. In Cook County, Illinois, for example, 
my home state, there are over 20,000 Federal employees. I am, 
therefore, pleased to be a cosponsor of Generating Opportunities by 
Forgiving Educational Debt for service (GOFEDS). Currently, when 
Federal agencies repay student loans for employees, these payments are 
taxable to the employees. However, many educational institutions have 
instituted similar loan repayment benefits to encourage graduates to go 
into government service or to work for non-profit organizations--and 
these payments are not taxable. This bill will erase this disparity.
  However, let us not see this bill as an ending, but rather, a 
beginning--one in a series of initiatives we need to take to ensure 
that our Federal government is a model employer--we own the American 
people no less.

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