[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 132 (Thursday, September 17, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2302]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           STUDENT AID AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 16, 2009

       The House in committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3221) to 
     amend the Higher Education Act of 1966, and for other 
     purposes:
  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 3221, 
the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act. As a member of the 
Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education, with the 
responsibility for funding these programs, I want to thank Chairman 
Miller for crafting this important bill and bringing it to the floor.
  Education is the key to ensuring that our future leaders, scientists, 
teachers, doctors and others are well prepared to be globally 
competitive. This legislation will help countless students realize the 
dream of going to college by: (1) Improving college access and 
completion; (2) Increasing Pell Grant awards and expanding the low-cost 
Perkins Loans; (3) Investing in Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions; (4) Strengthening our 
community colleges; (5) Establishing an Early Learning Challenge Fund; 
(6) Streamlining student aid applications; and (7) Reforming students 
loans to help students not banks.
  That means more of our youth will go to college and acquire the 
skills they need to compete in the global economy while graduating with 
less college debt. Now that's something we should all support.

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