[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 58 (Thursday, April 10, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5189-S5191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. EDWARDS (for himself, Mr. Bingaman, Ms. Mikulski, and Mrs. 
        Murray):
  S. 864. A bill to amend the Child Care and Development Block Grant 
Act of 1990 to provide for grants to parents and guardians of certain 
military dependents, in order to assist the parent and guardians in 
paying for the cost of child care services provided to the dependents, 
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
and Pensions.
  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce two important 
pieces of legislation that offer a helping hand to the members and 
families of the National Guard, the Reserves, and the regular active-
duty military.
  The National Guard and Reserves used to be called ``forces of last 
resort,'' but they have become much more. Between 1945 and 1989, the 
Guard and Reserves were activated four times. Only four times in 45 
years. Between 1990 and the present, in less than 15 years, the Guard 
and Reserves were activated six times. They have become a central 
element of our national defense.
  We've come to rely on them to fight side-by-side with full-time 
active duty soldiers. Each time our Nation has needed them, the Guard 
and Reserves members have left their jobs, their homes, and their 
families to serve this nation with pride and distinction. They view 
activation as an opportunity for service, but the truth is that 
activation does cause challenges at home. We should do right by them.
  Over the past few weeks, this body has considered a number of 
important measures for the Guard, the Reserves, and our entire 
military. I was pleased to support Senator Landrieu's amendment to 
raise combat and family separation pay and to modernize equipment. I 
also supported Senator Lincoln's effort to make sure that all members 
of the National Guard and Reserves can participate in the same health 
program that's available to full-time soldiers and their families. It's 
hard to believe, but 20 percent of the men and women in the Guard and 
Reserves don't even have health insurance.
  Today, I am introducing two new pieces of legislation to address 
unique difficulties facing Guard and Reserve members and, in fact, 
members of the regular military as well. I've traveled around the bases 
in my State and, time and time again, soldiers and their families have 
told me they need help.
  My first proposal is for child care. A few weeks ago, I outlined my 
ideas for addressing the growing challenges facing working families. 
Parents are working longer hours, earning less, and spending less time 
with their kids. One idea I offered was expanding afterschool programs 
for kids of working parents.
  The child care crunch is enormously exacerbated for military 
families. When one parent is called away, the other must take on all 
the responsibilities around the home. And at the same time, many 
members of the Guard and

[[Page S5190]]

Reserves take a pay cut, making it more difficult to hire help.
  Families can get child care on a military base, which is great for 
some families. But members of the Guard in North Wilkesboro, for 
example, live 173 miles away from the nearest military installation. 
Those families are totally left out.
  My National Guard and Reserves Child Care Relief Act would give 
families financial help for child care in their hometown. We would help 
families with a mom or dad called away on active duty. This is a 
concrete, practical way to make a difference in people's lives.
  I also have a bill to provide some help paying for education for the 
men and women who serve our country in the military. Nearly a quarter 
of Guardsmen and Reservists are college students, and many more are 
graduates with student loans.
  While these patriots are fighting for their country overseas, we 
charge them interest on their student loans here at home. This happens 
even if they're serving on the frontlines in Iraq; even if they took a 
huge pay cut because they're in the Guard or Reserves; even if they 
have a very low income to begin with.
  For somebody with an average size loan of $17,000, this can add up to 
as much as $1,400 in interest a year. That's not right. No one should 
return to civilian life deeper in debt because they took time off to 
serve their country. We should waive the interest on these Federal 
loans.
  The Secretary of Education has the authority to waive interest under 
the HEROES Act of 2001, but he has chosen not to exercise it. My 
Fairness for America's Soldiers in Higher Education Act would require 
him to do just that.
  It would also permanently end an Education Department policy-
suspended during the current conflict--that makes many guardsmen and 
reservists who have to drop college courses when they are activated pay 
back student aid.
  As we consider trillion-dollar budgets, these are modest ideas, but 
they would make a real difference in the lives of Americans serving 
their country and signal our appreciation for their sacrifice.
  I urge my colleagues to support these important bills. I ask 
unanimous consent that the text of the bills be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the texts of the bills were ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 863

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Fairness for America's 
     Soldiers in Higher Education Act of 2003''.

     SEC. 2. REFUND POLICY.

       Section 484B(b)(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
     U.S.C. 1091b(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(D) Students on active duty during a war or national 
     emergency.--Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C), 
     a student who withdraws from an institution of higher 
     education to serve on active duty during a war or national 
     emergency shall not be required to repay any grant assistance 
     that is otherwise required to be repayed under this 
     section.''.

     SEC. 3. DEFERMENT DURING ACTIVE DUTY.

       (a) FFEL and Direct Subsidized Loans.--Section 428(b)(1)(M) 
     of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078(b)(1)(M)) 
     is amended--
       (1) in clause (ii), by striking ``or'' after the semicolon;
       (2) in clause (iii), by inserting ``or'' after the 
     semicolon; and
       (3) by inserting after clause (iii) the following:
       ``(iv) during which the borrower--

       ``(I) is a member of a regular component on active duty 
     during a war or during a national emergency declared by the 
     President or Congress, and receives compensation described in 
     section 112(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
       ``(II) is on active duty under section 688, 12301(a), 
     12301(d), 12301(g), 12302, 12304, 12306, 12307, or 12406, or 
     chapter 15 of title 10, United States Code, or any other 
     provision of law, during a war or during a national emergency 
     declared by the President or Congress, regardless of the 
     location at which such active duty service is performed; or
       ``(III) in the case of a member of the National Guard, is 
     on full-time National Guard duty (as defined in section 
     101(d)(5) of title 10, United States Code) under a call to 
     active service authorized by the President or the Secretary 
     of Defense for a period of more than 30 consecutive days 
     under section 12402 of title 10, United States Code, or 
     section 502(f) of title 32, United States Code, for purposes 
     of responding to a national emergency declared by the 
     President and supported by Federal funds.''.

       (b) Consolidation Loans.--Section 428C(b)(4)(C)(ii) of the 
     Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-3(b)(4)(C)(ii)) 
     is amended--
       (1) in subclause (II), by striking ``or'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (2) in subclause (III), by striking ``or (II)'' and 
     inserting ``, (II) or (III)'';
       (3) by redesignating subclause (III) (as so amended) as 
     subclause (IV); and
       (4) by inserting after subclause (II) the following:
       ``(III) by the Secretary, in the case of a consolidation 
     loan of a student who is on an active duty deferment under 
     section 428(b)(1)(M)(iv); or''.
       (c) FFEL and Direct Unsubsidized Loans.--Section 428H(e) of 
     the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1078-8(e)) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(C) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), interest on loans 
     made under this section for which payments of principal are 
     deferred because the student is on an active duty deferment 
     under section 428(b)(1)(M)(iv) shall be paid by the 
     Secretary.''.
       (d) Perkins Loans.--Section 464(c)(2)(A) of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087dd(c)(2)(A)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in clause (iii), by striking ``or'' after the 
     semicolon;
       (2) in clause (iv), by inserting ``or'' after the 
     semicolon; and
       (3) by inserting after clause (iv) the following:
       ``(v) during which the borrower--

       ``(I) is a member of a regular component on active duty 
     during a war or during a national emergency declared by the 
     President or Congress, and receives compensation described in 
     section 112(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
       ``(II) is on active duty under section 688, 12301(a), 
     12301(d), 12301(g), 12302, 12304, 12306, 12307, or 12406, or 
     chapter 15 of title 10, United States Code, or any other 
     provision of law, during a war or during a national emergency 
     declared by the President or Congress, regardless of the 
     location at which such active duty service is performed; or
       ``(III) in the case of a member of the National Guard, is 
     on full-time National Guard duty (as defined in section 
     101(d)(5) of title 10, United States Code) under a call to 
     active service authorized by the President or the Secretary 
     of Defense for a period of more than 30 consecutive days 
     under section 12402 of title 10, United States Code, or 
     section 502(f) of title 32, United States Code, for purposes 
     of responding to a national emergency declared by the 
     President and supported by Federal funds.''.

       (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall apply with respect to loans for which the first 
     disbursement is made on or after July 1, 1993, to an 
     individual who is a new borrower (within the meaning of 
     section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1003)) on or after such date.
                                  ____


                                 S. 864

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``National Guard and Reserves 
     Child Care Relief Act''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 658B of the Child Care and Development Block Grant 
     Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``There is'' and inserting ``(a) In 
     General.--There is'';
       (2) in subsection (a), as so designated, by inserting 
     ``(except section 658T)'' after ``this subchapter''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Child Care for Certain Military Dependents.--There is 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out section 658T 
     $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 through 2008.''.

     SEC. 3. CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY DEPENDENTS.

       The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
     U.S.C. 9858 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 658T. CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY DEPENDENTS.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall make grants to 
     eligible persons to assist the persons in paying for the cost 
     of child care services provided to dependents by eligible 
     child care providers.
       ``(b) Eligible Person and Dependent.--In this section:
       ``(1) Dependent.--The term `dependent' means an individual 
     who is--
       ``(A) a dependent, as defined in section 401 of title 37, 
     United States Code, except that such term does not include a 
     person described in paragraph (1) or (3) of subsection (a) of 
     such section; and
       ``(B) an individual described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) 
     of section 658P(4).
       ``(2) Eligible person.--The term `eligible person' means a 
     person who--
       ``(A) is a parent of one or more dependents of--
       ``(i) a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces 
     serving on active duty for a period of more than 30 days in 
     support of a military operation pursuant to a call or order 
     to active duty under a provision of law referred to in 
     section 101(a)(13)(B) of title 10, United States Code; or
       ``(ii) any other member of the Armed Forces on active duty 
     who, as determined by

[[Page S5191]]

     the Secretary of the military department concerned, is 
     involved in a military operation;
       ``(B) has the primary responsibility for the care of one or 
     more such dependents; and
       ``(C) resides permanently at a location at least 50 miles 
     from--
       ``(i) the nearest military installation of the Department 
     of Defense where child care facilities and programs are 
     available for use by dependents of the member; and
       ``(ii) the nearest child development center or family child 
     care home that is funded in whole or in part with 
     appropriations available to the Department of Defense and is 
     available for use by dependents of the member.
       ``(3) Military operation.--The term `military operation' 
     means--
       ``(A) Operation Enduring Freedom;
       ``(B) Operation Iraqi Freedom;
       ``(C) Operation Noble Eagle; or
       ``(D) any successor operation of the United States Armed 
     Forces to an operation named in subparagraph (A), (B), or 
     (C).
       ``(c) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
     under this section, a person shall submit an application to 
     the Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and containing 
     such information as the Secretary may require, including a 
     description of the eligible child care provider who provides 
     the child care services assisted through the grant.
       ``(d) Rule.--The provisions of this subchapter, other than 
     section 658P and provisions referenced in section 658P, that 
     apply to assistance provided under this subchapter shall not 
     apply to assistance provided under this section.''.

     SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

       Section 658O of the Child Care and Development Block Grant 
     Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858m) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``appropriated under this 
     subchapter'' and inserting ``appropriated under section 
     658B(a)''; and
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``appropriated under 
     section 658B'' and inserting ``appropriated under section 
     658(a)''; and
       (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``appropriated under 
     section 658B'' and inserting ``appropriated under section 
     658(a)''.
                                 ______