[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 8, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E15]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE FED UP HIGHER EDUCATION TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS ACT OF 
                                  2003

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN A. BOEHNER

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 7, 2003

  Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to join my colleague 
from California, the Chairman of the 21st Century Competitiveness 
Subcommittee, Representative Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, in 
reintroducing the FED UP Higher Education Technical Amendments Act. 
This bipartisan bill, cosponsored by Education & the Workforce Democrat 
committee members Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and David Wu (D-OR), provides 
for technical amendments to the Higher Education Act, which will be up 
for reauthorization later this year.
  Representative McKeon, a leader in the House on higher education 
issues, along with the late Representative Patsy Mink (D-HI), initiated 
the FED UP process to make it easier for Hispanic-Serving Institutions 
to receive Federal aid, help college students avoid defaulting on their 
student loans, clarify that Federal scholarship aid can go to low-
income and minority students for law school, and improve higher 
education access in other ways recommended by the higher education 
community.
  The FED UP project is a unique effort, utilizing the Internet to get 
input directly from those most affected by current Federal higher 
education regulations--students and school officials themselves. The 
project solicited comments from student aid professionals from across 
the country in an effort to pinpoint unnecessary Federal rules and red 
tape that could be streamlined without jeopardizing the integrity of 
America's student financial assistance programs.
  The response was phenomenal, both in terms of the number of comments 
received and in the reaction from the higher education community. Many 
of those responding commented that this is the first time Congress has 
put forward an effort to hear directly from those on the front lines of 
assisting students. Another said this is the way government should 
work, Congress listening to the experts and getting input, rather than 
just dictating a course of action. This bill is intended to address 
noncontroversial, budget neutral changes to the Higher Education Act 
that will assist in reducing red tape. It also clears the decks of 
clerical and technical problems within the act to set the stage for the 
Committee to begin the reauthorization process later this year.
  This year I hope we can move this legislation through the floor in a 
swift manner. As part of an ongoing election-year effort to disrupt 
proceedings in the House, Democrat leaders in July 2002 blocked floor 
passage of the noncontroversial, bipartisan FED UP initiative. Twenty-
seven House Democrats, including the late Representative Patsy Mink, 
broke with the Democratic leadership and joined Republicans in voting 
``yes'' on the measure, which is also strongly backed by the higher 
education community.
  This legislation was created in an effort to do what is right for 
students, institutions and others involved in providing higher 
education. The FED UP measure will help to untie the hands of students 
and institutions through a series of common-sense steps that will make 
a difference while paving the way for the reauthorization of the Higher 
Education Act in the 108th Congress.

                          ____________________