[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 20553-20554]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             SECOND HIGHER EDUCATION EXTENSION ACT of 2007

  Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
Senate bill (S. 1868) to temporarily extend the programs under the 
Higher Education Act of 1965, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill.
  The text of the Senate bill is as follows:

                                S. 1868

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Second Higher Education 
     Extension Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF PROGRAMS.

       Section 2(a) of the Higher Education Extension Act of 2005 
     (Public Law 109-81; 20 U.S.C. 1001 note) is amended by 
     striking ``July 31, 2007'' and inserting ``October 31, 
     2007''.

     SEC. 3. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

       Nothing in this Act, or in the Higher Education Extension 
     Act of 2005 as amended by this Act, shall be construed to 
     limit or otherwise alter the authorizations of appropriations 
     for, or the durations of, programs contained in the 
     amendments made by the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 
     2005 (Public Law 109-171) to the provisions of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 and the Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act 
     of 2004.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Capps). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) and the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Kuhl) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during 
which Members may insert materials relevant to S. 1868 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 1868, a bill to extend 
the Higher Education Act through October 31, 2007.
  This bill is very straightforward. It simply extends the current 
programs authorized under the Higher Education Act until October 31, 
2007, giving us the time to fully consider and complete the 
reauthorization before us in the 110th Congress.
  We are making progress. We have passed a historic investment in 
student financial aid in the College Cost Reduction Act. We have also 
laid the groundwork to reauthorize the other core higher education 
programs, including teacher preparation, developing and strengthening 
institutions, college readiness and outreach programs, including 
international education, graduate education and others. We put out a 
call for recommendations and received over 85 responses from 
individuals, organizations, and coalitions from across the Nation. We 
hear them loud and clear.
  I am looking forward to working with all of my colleagues in the 
House to produce a strong reauthorization of the Higher Education Act 
that will earn broad support.
  I would like to thank Congressman McKeon, ranking member of the full 
committee, and Congressman Ric Keller, ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and 
Competitiveness, as well as our chairman, George Miller, for working 
together with me to expedite this extension.
  I respectfully urge all my colleagues to pass this legislation 
overwhelmingly.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KUHL of New York. Madam Speaker, for the last several years my 
colleagues on the Education and Labor Committee have worked to renew, 
and indeed improve, the Higher Education Act.

[[Page 20554]]

  Last Congress, we passed H.R. 609, the College Access and Opportunity 
Act, which made important reforms to the Pell Grant program, the 
Perkins loan program, and provided more accountability in the area of 
college costs. Unfortunately, the Senate was not able to act, and the 
legislation died.

                              {time}  1130

  This Congress, the House has passed the reforms to address some of 
the problems that have arisen in the student loan industry and has 
passed legislation that made changes to the mandatory spending programs 
under the Higher Education Act through the reconciliation process. As 
of yesterday, the Senate has passed both the reconciliation bill and 
the Higher Education Act reauthorization bill.
  The latest extension of the Higher Education Act expires on July 31, 
2007. Today, we are passing another extension through October 31, 2007. 
It is my hope that the House will soon renew the remaining Higher 
Education Act, but in the meantime Congress must once again act to 
extend this bill, which we have done so previously on several occasions 
with bipartisan support. So today I rise in support of legislation to 
do so once again.
  S. 1868, the second Higher Education Act of 2007, will ensure that 
vital Federal college access and student aid programs continue, I 
repeat continue, to serve those students who depend upon them. This 
legislation extends the Higher Education Act for a brief time, just 3 
months. At the same time, S. 1868 also gives Congress additional time 
to complete a review of the remaining higher education programs as 
well.
  Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill before 
us today and work with us in the coming months to complete a 
fundamental reform package so that we can better serve the American 
students pursuing a college education.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Congressman Kuhl from 
New York for his positive remarks on S. 1868, and together we are going 
to ask that our colleagues join us and pass this legislation 
overwhelmingly.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the Senate bill, S. 1868.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the Senate bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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