[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 7919-7920]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     HIGHER EDUCATION RELIEF OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS ACT OF 2003

  (Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today to support the 
Higher Education Relief Act, the HEROES Act, as it is called.
  Since September 11 and now with the activities of the war in Iraq, 
this Nation is sending our men and women, our young sons and daughters, 
into harm's way, into a conflict the likes of which this Nation has 
never seen before. And they do so in the name of America, in the name 
of liberty, freedom and dignity, which the United States stands for.

[[Page 7920]]

  But during this time, this legislation will now grant to the 
Secretary of Education the authority and the power to grant to the 
students who are overseas now the relief that they need. It does that 
in three ways. First of all, it provides to the Reservists who are 
leaving from their jobs to go overseas right now relief from making 
student loan payments for a period of time while they are away.
  Secondly, it provides to the borrowers and to the families who are 
back here at home relief from receiving letters and phone calls from 
the lenders while they are in service. And, thirdly, this legislation 
provides relief through consecutive service requirements to be 
considered uninterrupted while they are overseas.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the HEROES Act 
and to support our troops as well.

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