[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 12, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E165-E166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            COLEGE OPPORTUNITY AND AFFORDABILITY ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. VERNON J. EHLERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 7, 2008

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4137) to 
     amend and extend the Higher Education Act of 1965, and for 
     other purposes:

  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the College 
Opportunity and Affordability Act (H.R. 4137), a bill to reauthorize 
the Higher Education Act's programs.
  I thank Chairman Miller, Representative McKeon and their staff for 
their hard work on this reauthorization bill. I am very pleased that 
the Education and Labor Committee voted unanimously to favorably refer 
this bill to the full House for consideration. It is a testament to the 
fact that bipartisan work, though difficult, pays off with a better 
final product. This bill makes substantive changes that help future 
college students and our Nation's economy.
  Several provisions that I authored were included in the College 
Opportunity and Affordability Act. For example, the bill includes 
provisions of the Higher Education Sustainability Act, a bill that I 
introduced with Rep. Blumenauer to establish a competitive grant 
program to encourage colleges and universities to develop, implement 
and evaluate their sustainability practices and academic programs. I 
appreciate the efforts of Representatives Inslee and Blumenauer to 
improve upon the bill's provisions by requiring that the Secretary of 
Education consult with the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency when awarding sustainability grants. This provision 
was included in the Manager's Amendment.
  In addition, the bill includes the Robert C. Byrd American 
Competitiveness program, which has provisions that Representatives 
Wolf, Holt and I developed in the 109th Congress. For example, it 
awards scholarships to students who are enrolled in studies in 
physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, or engineering. 
Also, through the Math and Science Incentive program, the Secretary may 
waive the interest on Federal student loans for students pursuing STEM 
teaching or professional careers. In conference, I certainly hope 
Senator Byrd is amenable to making these important updates to the Byrd 
Scholarship program.
  Finally, the bill includes my Independent Study of Distance Education 
Act, which requires the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study 
of distance education, as compared to traditional, campus-based 
education.

[[Page E166]]

  I have a few concerns about the bill. First, I am concerned that the 
bill will require colleges and universities to comply with additional 
federal ``red tape.'' I understand that Representative McKeon plans to 
offer an amendment to study the regulatory burden on colleges and 
universities and ways to reduce it.
  Also, I have concerns about the college cost provisions. While the 
provisions have certainly improved over the past several years, I 
question whether the federal government should intervene in the way 
colleges and universities set their tuition, particularly at relatively 
low-cost community colleges. For example, it is my understanding that 
Grand Rapids Community College, located in my congressional district, 
may be subjected to the bill's requirements of the Quality Efficiency 
Task Force. Unfortunately, the bill fails to take into account state 
and local factors, such as last year's failed millage attempts, which, 
in turn, necessitated the tuition increases at this community college. 
It is situations like this that should be considered when reviewing 
attempts to control rising college costs.
  Finally, I have concerns with the bill's maintenance of effort 
requirements for state funding. I appreciate Representative Kildee and 
Walberg's efforts to include a waiver for States facing difficult 
economic times, such as Michigan.
  On balance, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act is a good 
bill, and I urge Members to support it.

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