[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 24429]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  BUDGET CUTS IMPACT LATINO EDUCATION

  (Ms. SOLIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Republican 
proposal to cut $14 billion from Federal student aid programs. 
Education is the key to opportunity for all who live in America. This 
is particularly true for Latino students.
  Latino students currently represent 44 percent, or 2.7 million, of 
California's students enrolled in elementary and secondary schools. Yet 
more than 61 percent do not graduate and only 39 percent of those 
Latino students in LA receive a high school diploma.
  Latinos only represent 12 percent of all undergraduates who attend 
colleges and universities. For many low-income working-class students, 
financial barriers are the determining factor in whether or not they go 
to college.
  Instead of helping to allow our students to achieve greater access to 
higher education, the college gap is widening. Republicans propose a 
budget that will make the largest cut to student aid programs in 
history and will force the typical student borrower to pay an 
additional $5,800 for his or her college student loans. I urge my 
colleagues to vote against these cuts and instead make sure every 
student in the country has access to affordable college opportunities.

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