[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 20935]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     HIGHER EDUCATION ACT EXTENSION

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, while I recognize that the Senate Committee 
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, HELP, is overwhelmed in 
addressing the needs associated with the Hurricane Katrina recovery, 
the Higher Education Act, HEA, is set to expire on September 30, 2005. 
I am concerned that with the extension of the HEA until December 31, 
2005, we may be sending a signal that we are not planning on acting on 
the HEA reauthorization bill in the near future. I would like to know 
if my friend, the chairman of the HELP Committee, could give me his 
assurance he still intends to make passage of the permanent 
reauthorization a priority in the next few weeks?
  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, in response to that question, I would like 
to assure my colleague from Utah that the HELP Committee intends to 
keep this a high priority and we are hopeful of having a bill signed 
into law before December 31, 2005.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I would like to thank the chairman for that 
confirmation.

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