[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 20 (Thursday, February 7, 2008)]
[House]
[Page H627]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      DEMOCRATS WANT TO CONTINUE MOVING NATION IN A NEW DIRECTION

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today the House will address 
one of the most important issues in America's future, that is, the 
opportunity to give young people a chance for a higher education. H.R. 
4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, does just that. It 
is interesting, however, that the President's budget unfortunately does 
not recognize that opportunity, and it is in the business of cutting 
those opportunities for our young people.
  The supplemental education opportunity grants for needy 
undergraduates is now being cut. So I hope that on the floor today we 
will make a statement to support our schools.
  I represent Texas Southern University, a school that has been under 
seige by its Republican State government. A school that is historically 
black received moneys from the past administration and the 
desegregation settlements. But yet even today, it is not receiving the 
funding that it should receive from the State of Texas.
  I will be introducing legislation that will ensure that historically 
black colleges, Hispanic-serving colleges cannot be undermined by State 
government funding when they come under the supervision of the 
Department of Education. Our bill is a good bill. It's a step forward.
  Mr. President, I hope that you will recognize that we cannot cut the 
opportunities of young people.

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