[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 41 (Monday, April 11, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3430-S3431]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Durbin):
  S. 754. A bill to ensure that the Federal student loans are delivered 
as efficiently as possible, so that there is more grant aid for 
students; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 754

       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 ``Student Aid Reward Act of 
     2005''.

     SEC. 2. STUDENT AID REWARD PROGRAM.

       Part G of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
     U.S.C. 1088 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 
     489 the following:

     ``SEC. 489A. STUDENT AID REWARD PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Program Authorized.--The Secretary shall carry out a 
     Student Aid Reward Program to encourage institutions of 
     higher education to participate in the student loan program 
     under this title that is most cost-effective for taxpayers.
       ``(b) Program Requirements.--In carrying out the Student 
     Aid Reward Program, the Secretary shall--
       ``(1) provide to each institution of higher education 
     participating in the student loan program under this title 
     that is most cost-effective for taxpayers, a Student Aid 
     Reward Payment, in an amount determined in accordance with 
     subsection (c), to encourage

[[Page S3431]]

     the institution to participate in that student loan program;
       ``(2) require each institution of higher education 
     receiving a payment under this section to provide student 
     loans under such student loan program for a period of 5 years 
     after the date the first payment is made under this section;
       ``(3) where appropriate, require that funds paid to 
     institutions of higher education under this section be used 
     to award students a supplement to such students' Federal Pell 
     Grants under subpart 1 of part A;
       ``(4) permit such funds to also be used to award need-based 
     grants to lower- and middle-income graduate students; and
       ``(5) encourage all institutions of higher education to 
     participate in the Student Aid Reward Program under this 
     section.
       ``(c) Amount.--The amount of a Student Aid Reward Payment 
     under this section shall be not less than 50 percent of the 
     savings to the Federal Government generated by the 
     institution of higher education's participation in the 
     student loan program under this title that is most cost-
     effective for taxpayers instead of the institution's 
     participation in the student loan program that is not most 
     cost-effective for taxpayers.
       ``(d) Trigger to Ensure Cost Neutrality.--
       ``(1) Limit to ensure cost neutrality.--Notwithstanding 
     subsection (c), the Secretary shall not distribute Student 
     Aid Reward Payments under the Student Aid Reward Program 
     that, in the aggregate, exceed the Federal savings resulting 
     from the implementation of the Student Aid Reward Program.
       ``(2) Federal savings.--In calculating Federal savings, as 
     used in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall determine Federal 
     savings on loans made to students at institutions of higher 
     education that participate in the student loan program under 
     this title that is most cost-effective for taxpayers and 
     that, on the date of enactment of the Student Aid Reward Act 
     of 2005, participated in the student loan program that is not 
     most cost-effective for taxpayers, resulting from the 
     difference of--
       ``(A) the Federal cost of loan volume made under the 
     student loan program under this title that is most cost-
     effective for taxpayers; and
       ``(B) the Federal cost of an equivalent type and amount of 
     loan volume made, insured, or guaranteed under the student 
     loan program under this title that is not most cost-effective 
     for taxpayers.
       ``(3) Distribution rules.--If the Federal savings 
     determined under paragraph (2) is not sufficient to 
     distribute full Student Aid Reward Payments under the Student 
     Aid Reward Program, the Secretary shall--
       ``(A) first make Student Aid Reward Payments to those 
     institutions of higher education that participated in the 
     student loan program under this title that is not most cost-
     effective for taxpayers on the date of enactment of the 
     Student Aid Reward Act of 2005; and
       ``(B) with any remaining Federal savings after making 
     Student Aid Reward Payments under subparagraph (A), make 
     Student Aid Reward Payments to the institutions of higher 
     education eligible for a Student Aid Reward Payment and not 
     described in subparagraph (A) on a pro-rata basis.
       ``(4) Distribution to students.--Any institution of higher 
     education that receives a Student Aid Reward Payment under 
     this section--
       ``(A) shall distribute, where appropriate, part or all of 
     such payment among the students of such institution who are 
     Federal Pell Grant recipients by awarding such students a 
     supplemental grant; and
       ``(B) may distribute part of such payment as a supplemental 
     grant to graduate students in financial need.
       ``(5) Estimates, adjustments, and carry over.--
       ``(A) Estimates and adjustments.--The Secretary shall make 
     Student Aid Reward Payments to institutions of higher 
     education on the basis of estimates, using the best data 
     available at the beginning of an academic or fiscal year. If 
     the Secretary determines thereafter that loan program costs 
     for that academic or fiscal year were different than such 
     estimate, the Secretary shall adjust by reducing or 
     increasing subsequent Student Aid Reward Payments rewards 
     paid to such institutions of higher education to reflect such 
     difference.
       ``(B) Carry over.--Any institution of higher education that 
     receives a reduced Student Aid Reward Payment under paragraph 
     (3)(B), shall remain eligible for the unpaid portion of such 
     institution's financial reward payment, as well as any 
     additional financial reward payments for which the 
     institution is otherwise eligible, in subsequent academic or 
     fiscal years.
       ``(e) Definition.--In this section:
       ``(1) Student loan program under this title that is most 
     cost-effective for taxpayers.--The term `student loan program 
     under this title that is most cost-effective for taxpayers' 
     means the loan program under part B or D of this title that 
     has the lowest overall cost to the Federal Government 
     (including administrative costs) for the loans authorized by 
     such parts.
       ``(2) Student loan program under this title that is not 
     most cost-effective for taxpayers.--The term `student loan 
     program under this title that is not most cost-effective for 
     taxpayers' means the loan program under part B or D of this 
     title that does not have the lowest overall cost to the 
     Federal Government (including administrative costs) for the 
     loans authorized by such parts.''.
  By Mr. BENNETT (for himself, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Shelby, and Mr. Hatch):
  S. 756. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to enhance 
public and health professional awareness and understanding of lupus and 
to strengthen the Nation's research efforts to identify the causes and 
cure of lupus; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions.
  Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Lupus--
Research, Education, Awareness, Communication, Health Care--or REACH 
Amendments of 2005. This bill will strengthen the Nation's research 
efforts to identify the causes and cure of lupus, improve lupus data 
collection and epidemiology, and enhance public and health professional 
awareness and understanding of lupus--one of the Nation's most 
devastating, yet least understood autoimmune diseases. It has been 
almost 40 years since the FDA has approved a drug specifically to treat 
lupus.
  Lupus is a life-threatening, life diminishing autoimmune disease that 
can cause inflammation and tissue damage to virtually any organ system 
in the body, including the skin, joints, other connective tissue, blood 
and blood vessels, heart, lungs, kidney, and brain. It affects women 
nine times more often than men and 80 percent of newly diagnosed cases 
of lupus develop among women of child-bearing age.
  This disease is not well known or well understood despite the fact 
that according to the Lupus Foundation of America at least 1.5 to 2 
million Americans live with some form of lupus. Many are either 
misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. As the prototypical autoimmune 
disease, discoveries on lupus may apply to more than 20 other 
autoimmune diseases.
  Of serious concern is that this disease disproportionately affects 
women of color--it is two to three times more common among African-
Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans--a health disparity 
that remains unexplained. According to the Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention the rate of lupus mortality has increased since the late 
1970s and is higher among older African-American women. Comprehensive 
and definitive epidemiologic studies will help improve our 
understanding of these health disparities and move us toward closing 
the gaps.
  The symptoms of lupus make diagnosis difficult because they are 
sporadic and imitate the symptoms of many other illnesses. If diagnosed 
promptly and properly treated, the majority of lupus cases can be 
controlled. Unfortunately, because of the dearth of medical research on 
lupus and the length of time it takes to make a diagnosis, many lupus 
patients suffer debilitating pain and fatigue. The resulting effects 
make it difficult, if not impossible, for these individuals to carry on 
normal everyday activities, including work. Thousands of these 
debilitating cases needlessly end in death each year. Our Nation must 
do more to ensure that health professionals are aware of its signs and 
symptoms so that people with lupus can receive the prompt, appropriate 
care they need and deserve.
  The Lupus REACH Amendments of 2005 seek to expand biomedical research 
and strengthen lupus epidemiology. This bill authorizes a study and 
report by the Institute of Medicine, IOM, evaluating various Federal 
and State activities and research. This legislation will raise public 
awareness of lupus and improve health professional education. It aims 
to promote increased awareness of early intervention and treatment, 
direct communication and education efforts, and target at-risk women 
and health professionals to help them quickly achieve a correct 
diagnosis of lupus.
  I would urge all my colleagues, to join me in sponsoring this 
legislation to increase research, education, and awareness of lupus.
                                 ______