[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 28 (Monday, July 13, 1998)]
[Page 1356]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Senate Action on Higher Education Reauthorization 
Legislation

July 10, 1998

    The bill passed last night by the Senate will help my effort to 
usher more Americans through the doors of higher education, doors we 
have opened wide since 1993. There are still serious fiscal and policy 
issues that need to be resolved, and I am committed to working with 
Congress to do that. But I am pleased that the Senate bill endorses the 
new, low interest rate for student loans that I proposed, to save 
students $11 billion; improves teacher recruitment and training provided 
by our colleges; takes important steps in response to my call for 
colleges to help children at high-poverty schools prepare for and attend 
college; expands access to quality distance learning technologies; and 
creates what would be the Government's first performance-based 
organization, an innovation recommended by our reinventing Government 
effort.