[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 17, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H578]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       COLLEGE STUDENT RELIEF ACT

  (Mr. WALZ of Minnesota asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
5, the College Student Relief Act.
  This legislation will benefit 5\1/2\ million students. These students 
are predominantly from middle class, hardworking American families. 
Without this act they may not otherwise be able to attend our public 
institutions.
  The generation that came before mine understood the investment in the 
future. At age 17, when I joined the military to be able to, one, 
support this country in its defense and, two, further my own career, I 
was given the GI bill, Pell Grants and the ability to use low interest 
student loans. Because of that I was able to achieve my dream of 
becoming a public school teacher.
  However, unfortunately, this next generation does not have that same 
investment, a generation that has never seen the kind of investment 
that I saw.
  The good people of the First District of Minnesota sent me here to 
change the priorities of this government. They sent me here to look out 
for the next generation of Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, with this legislation the American Dream will be a 
little more in grasp of this next generation. This is not a theoretical 
discussion on interest rates. These are the students that were in my 
classroom, on my football team and in my Guard unit.

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