[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 28, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1977]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HIGHER EDUCATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2005

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                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 20, 2005

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Madame Speaker, I rise today in support of 
the temporary 3-month extension of the Higher Education Act.
  I would prefer to rise today to express my support for a bill that 
expands access for students to college and fulfills the Federal 
government's promises to make college more affordable for the millions 
of students attending our nation's colleges and universities.
  Unfortunately, that is not the bill before us today. It is my hope, 
however, that the Republican leadership will use this time provided by 
the extension to improve their plan to reauthorize the Higher Education 
Act--H.R. 609.
  The Republican bill that passed out of the House Education and the 
Workforce Committee on a strictly partisan vote balances the massive 
deficit created by enormous tax breaks to America's most fortunate and 
the war in Iraq on the backs of students--who continue to face 
increased tuition costs across the nation. H.R. 609 cuts nearly $9 
billion from the Federal student loan program, with Republican plans to 
cut an additional $2 billion in order to balance their misguided 
budget. This cut is the largest cut to student financial aid in the 
history of Federal student financial aid.
  The Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act should be an 
opportunity to enhance access for our nation's low and moderate income 
students and first generation students to a higher education. Instead 
of finding ways to increase college affordability and fund student 
financial aid during this reauthorization, Republicans have been 
focused on finding ways to open up more Federal dollars for for-profit 
education institutions, while finding ways to usurp college campus 
autonomy. Instead of increasing access, millions of students will see 
the cost of a college education increase significantly because of 
provisions found in H.R. 609.
  In committee, I voted to support the Democratic amendment to 
reauthorize the Higher Education Act, which would have increased access 
and enhance affordability for all students--all without raising taxes. 
The Democratic plan would have increased Pell Grants and would have 
maintained the promise Congress made in 2002 to cap the interest rate 
on student loans at 6.8 percent.
  The tax cuts proposed by President George W. Bush and the House 
Republican budget, forces college students to bear the weight of 
irresponsible fiscal policies.
  Today, this temporary extension is necessary, but I will continue to 
work to ensure that students will not be forced to pay for this 
enormous deficit now through financial aid cuts and in the future as 
taxpayers.

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