[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17108]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              THE EDUCATION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN P. SARBANES

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 21, 2007

  Mr. SARBANES. Madam Speaker, I rise to speak about the Education for 
Public Service Act of 2007, which I introduced earlier this week. In 
short, the Education for Public Service Act would make it easier for 
college graduates and those with advanced degrees to choose careers in 
government or non-profit enterprise. It will give those young people 
who attend higher education aspiring to become teachers, first 
responders, law enforcement officers, nurses, and civil servants a real 
chance to realize their dreams.
  The rising cost of higher education has led to greater and greater 
student debt that in turn has become an impediment for many young 
people who would otherwise choose a career in service. Physicians who 
might choose to work in community health centers or individuals who 
want to inspire our Nation's youth as teachers are unable to follow 
their passion as a result of staggering debt. Our best and brightest 
are increasingly driven by this debt to choose entry-level positions 
based on salaries that will enable them to repay loans. Career choices 
should not be made this way.
  In my home State of Maryland, the average starting salary for 
teachers is $36,000; nationally, the average starting salary is 
$30,377. According to CRS, the average cost of tuition, other fees, and 
room and board at a public 4-year university exceeds $48,000. At a 
private university that figure climbs to almost $120,000. Predictably, 
fewer graduates are entering the teaching profession. In fact, more 
than 50 percent of teacher education program graduates never even enter 
the teaching profession. More than 50 percent of new teachers leave the 
profession within their first 5 years in the field. We are also facing 
a crisis of human capital in the Federal workforce. Approximately half 
of the Federal workforce is eligible for retirement or early 
retirement. Federal agencies like the Social Security Administration 
and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are bracing for serious 
worker shortages resulting from attrition. Madam Speaker, these are 
such important jobs and yet we have done very little to replenish these 
ranks. Clearly more can be done to provide sufficient incentives to 
young workers--the next generation of public servants--to join the 
civil service. But we ought to start by removing the barriers that 
affirmatively preclude young people from joining.
  In 1993, Congress created the income-contingent repayment option to 
help individuals earning lower salaries deal with the burden of student 
loans. Under this plan, borrowers' repayment obligations are capped at 
a percentage of their annual income and any remaining principal is 
forgiven at the end of 25 years. But because 25 years of repayment 
seems so daunting to an individual just finishing college, this 
initiative has not resolved the underlying problem. The Education for 
Public Service Act of 2007 would modify the current income-contingent 
repayment program to provide loan forgiveness after 10 years rather 
than 25 years, so long as the borrower has worked for a government 
agency or a charitable or tax-exempt organization during the repayment 
period.
  Madam Speaker, the Education for Public Service Act of 2007 will help 
ensure that service to one's Nation and community will no longer be out 
of reach for our next generation. In closing, I would like to 
acknowledge the leadership of Congressman George Miller whom I have 
worked with in developing this legislation. Chairman Miller has led the 
Education and Labor Committee with a focus on American families and 
American students and I am very pleased that he has included the 
Education for Public Service Act as part of his College Cost Reduction 
Act of 2007, which will increase support for students and families with 
no new costs to taxpayers. If we enact this legislation, idealistic 
students will be able to attend our institutions of higher learning 
knowing that they will be able to realize their dreams.

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