John Boehner

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1762. The legislation addresses a long-standing problem in the Federal student loan program as to how student loan interest rates are to be calculated. It provides for the continued availability of student loan funds to students and their families by correcting an unworkable interest rate and special allowance rate formula scheduled to take effect in 2003. The problem first came to light several years ago when it was clear that a provision within the Higher Education Act of 1965 would dramatically alter how interest rates would be determined. The formula set to take effect back in 1998 would have forced many of the lenders now participating in the Federal Family Education Loan Program to reduce or eliminate their participation. In 1998, the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) were able to craft a bipartisan, but temporary, solution to this program that virtually everyone agreed that if it was not corrected would create serious harm to students and their families by creating an access program in the student loan programs. The compromise reached through the hard work of the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) resulted in what are now the lowest interest rates in the Stafford loan program's history. Service continues to students and their families, and student loan borrowers are now paying the historically low interest rate of 5.99 percent in repayment. Unfortunately, the compromise reached in 1998 was not made permanent when enacted, and is scheduled to expire in 2003; and the unworkable index from prior legislation is set to go back into effect. The problem must be corrected to ensure the availability of capital within the student loan program. Lenders in the Federal Family Education Loan Program will not be able to finance student loans under the index set to take effect in 2003. By taking action and passing S. 1762 today, we can ensure the continued availability of student loan funds to students nationwide. The legislation also extends the current special allowance formula for student loan providers, allowing them to continue uninterrupted service to the Nation's students and their families. This legislation enjoys the support of both Republicans and Democrats in both Houses of Congress and the administration. It is the result of compromise and collaboration with all involved and is supported by student loan providers, financial aid officers, and student associations. The reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965 is fast approaching, and we will have a lot to focus upon. The student loan interest rate issue consumed virtually all of the reauthorization process in 1998 and took away time and resources that could have been used more productively. I think it is important that we fix the interest rate problem now so that when we do the reauthorization, we can concentrate on the many issues that will confront us that are of significant interest to the higher education community and our students. The bottom line is this: we have reached an agreement across the board that this interest rate issue needs to be resolved. Our colleagues in the other body have done their part. It is now time for us to do our part. Let us ensure that the availability of student loans is there for students all across our great Nation. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill today, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce), my friend and colleague, for yielding me this time. I would suggest to the House that today we have a rule before us that will provide for a fair and open debate on a bill that we did in fact consider last month. Unfortunately, it was brought up under suspension and, due to some circumstances that had nothing to do with this bill, did not receive the requisite number of votes. But I do believe that fixing the student loan interest rate problem will provide continued availability of affordable student loans for our students. Today some 9 million students take advantage of our student loan program, the highest number ever, and they are paying the lowest interest rates they have ever paid in the history of the program. What we want to do today is to pass the underlying bill that will, in fact, continue to have low, affordable rates available to ensure that more of our students can achieve their goals of the American dream by pursuing a postsecondary education. Mr. Speaker, I think the rule that we have before us is fair and reasonable. We ought to pass this rule and then pass this bill.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 334, I call up the Senate bill (S. 1762) to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish fixed interest rates for student and parent borrowers, to extend current law with respect to special allowances for lenders, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Isakson), a member of the committee.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for bringing this resolution to the floor today. We all know that far too many children in our society do not have strong role models at home. Parents are too busy; or in many neighborhoods, parents may not even exist. What we have found around the country is that mentoring really does work. It provides a role model for many of these children that they do not see on a day-to-day basis in their own lives. I congratulate the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne), the coach, as we call him, for bringing this resolution to the floor and keeping our attention focused on mentoring. As the chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne) has not let a week go in the last year when he did not talk to me about the need to promote mentoring. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1, which we passed last December and the President signed into law several weeks ago, contains a significant amount of funding for a new mentoring program to provide seed money to generate more mentors around the country. During the signing of the bill, the President himself talked about the need for mentoring, and suggested to people if they really wanted to do something and help young people in need, go to a school and become a mentor. I think that action and the action we are taking today will help bring this to more people's attention. It will help children. But as important as it is for us to help children, I also think that mentors themselves get an awful lot out of mentoring. I think the gentlewoman from San Diego just demonstrated to us what it meant her to be a mentor to this young man. I have people in my district who are mentors. And I remember one specifically, Mr. Richard Scott from Sidney, Ohio, a retired construction company executive. He and his wife are mentors in an elementary school in Sidney, and the richness they get out of helping young people is something that enriches their lives by reaching out to help others. Mr. Speaker, let me congratulate all those today who are mentoring around the country, and let us encourage more of our fellow citizens to take an hour a week or two hours a week and go to a local school and help one young person in America get a better life.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on S. 1762.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight in support of S. 1762. This legislation provides for the continued uninterrupted availability of student loan funds to students and their families. The legislation addresses a longstanding problem in the Federal student loan program as to how student loan interest rates are to be calculated. The problem first come to light several years ago when it was clear that a provision within the Higher Education Act would dramatically alter how interest rates would be determined. The interest rate formula set to take effect back in 1998 would have forced many of the leaders now participating in the Federal Family Education Loan Program to reduce or eliminate their participation. Mr. Speaker, in 1998, the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) worked diligently to craft a solution to a problem that virtually everyone agreed would be an unintended result of previous legislation. The compromise resulted in the lowest interest rates in the Stafford Loan Program's history. Service was uninterrupted to students and their families and student loan borrowers are now paying the historically low interested rate of 5.99 percent in repayment. Unfortunately, the compromise reached in 1998 was not made permanent when enacted and is scheduled to expire in 2003, and the unworkable index from the previous legislation is set to go in effect again. It is clear the problem must be corrected to ensure the availability of capital within the student loan program. Lenders in the FFELP program will not be able to finance student loans under the index set to take effect in 2003. By taking action now and passing S. 1762, we can insure the continued availability of student loan funds to student nationwide. This legislation also extends the current special allowance formula for student loan providers, again, allowing them to continue uninterrupted service to the Nation's students and their families. Some have asked why do this now. It really does not take effect until 2003. I think the answer is simple: Fixing the problem now will allow us to insure that proper attention is given to improving programs and services during the upcoming reauthorization. This issue consumed the last reauthorization process in 1998 and took away precious time and resources that could have been used more productively. We also have the availability of funds necessary to correct the problem now. We have agreement on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol that the time to do this is now, and it should be done now, and, therefore, I urge my colleagues to vote yes tonight on S. 1762. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the remarks of my colleague from California. The committee has worked diligently with the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy) and her cosponsor, the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), over the bill that that was outlined by the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller). While there were some policy concerns, and we have tried to work through many of them, unfortunately, the scheduling of that bill is way above my pay grade. We have worked for the last several weeks to try to bring some resolution to this matter, and we are going to continue to try to do what we can to bring it to a successful resolution. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon).

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 1762) to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to establish fixed interest rates for student and parent borrowers, to extend current law with respect to special allowances for lenders, and for other purposes.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, before I yield back the balance of my time, let me just say that I hope we will get this issue resolved sometime tomorrow before we take up the votes on this suspension.

Mr. BOEHNER. Well, reclaiming my time, it will be tomorrow's legislative day. The gentleman might think it is today, but it really is tomorrow. But be that as it may, the underlying bill really will fix a very serious problem that will impact the ability of private lenders to offer student loans. The concern is that once we get into the spring and early summer, it will have a devastating impact on the ability of these private lenders to offer student loans across the Nation. While I understand the concerns of the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy), we have to make sure that we do not do anything here that would inhibit the ability of any young person or, for that matter, someone who would like to continue their education from getting the financing necessary in order to do so. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for the bill.

Mr. BOEHNER. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding. Mr. Speaker, the concurrent resolution before us allows the Enrolling Clerk to make technical corrections to the conference report on H.R. 1, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which passed the House overwhelmingly last week. These changes are technical and arose because putting together such a huge bill at very late hours almost always results in some mistakes. All of these changes, and they are technical, have been agreed to by the conferees on both the House and Senate side. As we all know, the Senate adopted this resolution yesterday. I urge my colleagues to support the resolution that we have before us.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 289) directing the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make technical corrections in the enrollment of the bill H.R. 1, with a Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the notice requirements of House Resolution 314, I announce that the following measures will be considered under suspension of the rules on Wednesday, December 19, 2001: H.R. 2336; H.R. 3525; and H.R. 3423.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young); the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey); the dean of the Ohio delegation and my friend, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula); the chairman; the subcommittee; and all the members of the Committee on Appropriations for working together to produce a bill that paves the way for meaningful reforms in education and in other national priorities. As the chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, I also want to thank the staff and the members of the Committee for working closely with me and the members of my committee and my staff to ensure that the reforms that were contained in H.R. 1, the President's education reform bill, are in fact funded and contained within this conference report. Mr. Speaker, I believe the conference report lays the groundwork for the most significant reforms in education in a generation. The measure before us calls for a significant increase in Federal aid in public schools and for poor students. For the first time ever, major increases in Federal education funding would be linked to meaningful reform of our schools; and for the first time ever, we are insisting on results for our children. The Labor-HHS conference report provides the resources necessary to implement the President's vision for education reform. It provides $387 million, or $67 million over the President's budget request, for States to develop annual assessment tests of students' reading and math skills. No national test will be created. And States will be responsible for selecting and designing their own assessments. The conference report also provides a $1.6 billion increase for Title I aid to disadvantaged students, $700 million increase for teacher quality, and a $205 million increase for bilingual education. All three of these programs have been significantly reformed to expand State and local control and ensure greater accountability for results. Last but not least in the education side, the conference report fully funds President Bush's Reading First and Early Reading Programs for a total of $975 million, tripling the Federal commitment to reading and encouraging States and schools to use proven methods based on scientific research. The conference report before us also increases the Federal Government's commitment to fixing and funding special education. The measure recognizes that the Federal Government is still falling short of paying the fair share of the cost of special education. For a quarter of a century, Congress neglected this responsibility, but since 1994, we have increased special education funding by 173 percent. And the conference report before us provides another historic increase of $1.2 billion for IDEA part B. With this increase, the Federal Government's role, we would spend an unprecedented $7.5 billion on IDEA in the next fiscal year and increase the Federal share of the burden to 16\1/2\ percent, the highest percentage since the Special Education Program was enacted. This increase is provided without turning special education funding into a new entitlement program, meaning Congress will be free to bring much needed reforms to IDEA as we fulfill our financial commitment. This report also significantly increases the amount for Pell grants and other educational opportunities. I am pleased that the conference report increases Pell grant funds to some $4,000, the highest maximum grant in the program's history. And to strengthen historically black colleges and Hispanic-serving institutions and other related institutions, the measure provides an increase of $42.5 million from last year which, frankly, is a very significant boost. Finally, on the labor side of our committee, the report before us wisely avoids taking hasty action on mental health parity that could jeopardize the health benefits for American workers. The measure contains a provision that reauthorizes the 1996 mental health parity law. But the conferees did not agree to a provision added in the Senate that would have significantly expanded mental health parity for employee health benefits. This provision would have come up on top of huge increases in health care premiums in the vicinity of 15 to 30 percent. Hasty action on mental health parity will have serious consequences for employees, consequences many families may not be able to bear during the current economic crunch. When employers' cost go up, employees often lose their health care coverage. If the law becomes too burdensome and expensive, it is very likely that employers will simply stop offering any type of health benefits to their employees. At the same time we recognize that mental illnesses are serious illnesses and must be treated accordingly. For that reason a simple 1-year reauthorization of the current laws is the right solution at this time. I intend to take up this issue next year in my committee, and I intend to work with the supporters of expanded mental health parity, including Senator Domenici, the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Roukema), the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson) and others who have worked on behalf of mental health parity and we intend to do it in the next session. Let me congratulate all of my colleagues, and especially my dean, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula).

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, almost 37 years ago, the Federal Government made a promise to the children of our Nation, a promise that all children, regardless of race, income, faith or disability, would have an equal chance to learn and to succeed. Thirty-seven years later, the Federal Government is still failing to meet that promise, and Republicans and Democrats have come together to say enough is enough. No more false hope for our children, no more broken promises, and no more mixed results. The legislation before us today lays the foundation for the most significant Federal education reforms in a generation. If properly implemented, these reforms will bring purpose to a Federal law that has lost its focus and never met its promise. It will mean immediate new hope for students in failing schools and new choices for parents who want the best education possible for their children. It will mean new freedom for teachers and school districts to meet higher expectations and give our children the chance to learn and to succeed. Others before us have renewed this law, and have made similar claims. We must have the courage not just to vote for these reforms today, but to ensure that they are implemented. This process began nearly a year ago in Austin, Texas, thanks to the leadership and courage of President Bush. It is marked not just by bipartisanship, but by a willingness on the part of those involved to take a gamble on behalf of our poorest students. It has been marked by the courage of legislators on both sides of the aisle to challenge conventional thinking and party orthodoxy for the sake of meaningful change. I want to acknowledge my partner in this process, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller). We have many different views and we disagree instinctively on many things, but I would suggest that when it comes to the education of our children, there is no Member of this body who is less content to accept the status quo than the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller). His courage, his honesty and his leadership throughout this process has been instrumental, and, without it, we would not be standing here today. I also want to thank our colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have worked so hard on behalf of America's students: The gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Isakson), the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri), the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Roukema), the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Hilleary), and the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Graham); and on the Democrat side, let me recognize the contributions of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Owens), the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews), the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), all who have been vital to the success of this very important bill. I know the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) joins me in giving particular thanks to our staff, who have made incredible sacrifices to bring this bill to completion. I want to thank Sally Lovejoy of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce majority staff, who has put her heart and soul into this, and her counterpart on the Democrat side, Charlie Barone, who have worked literally 10 times more hours than the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) and I in putting all of the incredible intricate legislative language together that allows us to be here today. I also want to thank Danica Petroshius of Senator Kennedy's staff, Townsend McNitt of Senator Gregg's staff and Denzel McGuire of the Senate HELP Committee, who worked with us day and night over the last year to bring this bill together. I also want to thank my own committee staff, George Conant, Pam Davidson, Kirsten Duncan, Scott Galupo, Joyce Gates, Kate Gorton, Blake Hegeman, Cindy Herrle, Charles Hokanson, Patrick Lyden, Doug Mesecar, Maria Miller, Paula Nowakowski, Lisa Paschal, Krisann Pearce, Kim Proctor, Ron Reese, Whitney Rhoades, Deborah Samantar, David Schnittger, Kevin Smith, Kathleen Smith, Jo-Marie St. Martin, Linda Stevens, Rich Stombres, Bob Sweet, Holli Traud and Heather Valentine, who all have participated in this very worthwhile project. Let me also thank the staff of our conferees, James Bergeron, Jeff Dobrozsi on my staff, Jessica Efird, Kara Hass, Mike Kennedy, Lesli McCollum, Janel Prescott and Glee Smith, for all of their efforts. We are also grateful for the enormous efforts and assistance that we have received from the Secretary of Education, Rod Paige, and his staff at the Department of Education. His expertise as a former superintendent of a major urban school system has been invaluable. Let me also recognize Margaret Spellings and Sandy Kress from the White House staff, who I expect will be here today with us, for the instrumental role that they played in this process. But, most of all, however, I believe we should recognize the role of our President. Without his courage in proposing these reforms and his courage in continuing to press for them after taking office, none of this would have been possible. These reforms mark the first time in a generation that Washington has returned a meaningful degree of authority to parents at the expense of the education bureaucracy. They will streamline a significant share of the Federal education bureaucracy in one stroke, and, most importantly, they will provide new hope for the next generation of disadvantaged students, and we can help them avoid the misery of low expectations. If implemented properly and reinforced by a continuing commitment to real reform, it will bring an era of false hope to a long overdue end. I am grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have worked hard to turn the President's vision for education reform into a reality. I believe we produced a plan that is worthy not just of the support of Republicans and Democrats and independents, but also of teachers, parents and, most of all, our children. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri), a valued member of the committee and one of our conferees who has worked diligently over the years on behalf of our children.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 315, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 1), to close the achievement gap with accountability, flexibility, and choice, so that no child is left behind.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Isakson), one of our conferees and one of our real partners throughout the process, a former president of the State school board of the State of Georgia and a member of our committee.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Graham), one of the integral members of this conference who helped push us along.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Education Reform, a gentleman who has been at the heart of this process for a number of years, and the former governor of the State of Delaware.