Rubén Hinojosa

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers, and I wish to yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in full support of H.R. 1372, which celebrates the University of Nebraska at Omaha's 100 years of service and partnership between the City of Omaha and its citizens. Founded in 1908, Omaha, Nebraska and Bellevue citizens worked together to create a nonsectarian university where local high school residents could receive a college education. Starting with only 26 students in their first class, the University of Nebraska at Omaha has blossomed into an esteemed university. Today, the University enrolls almost 14,000 students and offers a diverse range of academic courses. With only 71 undergraduate majors, 45 masters degree programs, 17 graduate certificates and six doctoral programs, UNO possesses a wide array of courses for its students. The school makes a tremendous social and financial impact on its students and city. Students receive a quality college education, and the school generates $350 million per year for the community. UNO's unique history speaks to its accepting and inclusive culture. UNO started off as the University of Omaha. Due to financial difficulties and the high number of students who wanted to attend, in 1929 the board of trustees voted to establish a municipal university. The newly named Municipal University of Omaha prospered and relocated to its final location on 60th and Dodge Streets in the fall of 1936. Later the university regents agreed to merge with the University of Nebraska. As a result, University of Nebraska at Omaha was born. That merger created a more sustainable and affordable college education, a principle the school lives by today. Mr. Speaker, once again, I express my full support for the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers on this bill. But before I give up my time, I want to say to Congressman Lee Terry that there's no doubt in my mind that the University of Nebraska is certainly one to be reckoned with, and the University of Texas Longhorns always have to think very, very hard and be very well prepared to be able to take those Nebraska Cornhuskers. With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 577 and 576, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on 577 and ``yea'' on 576.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 564, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference report for HR 4137, the Higher Education Opportunity Act. We are near the end of our long journey to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. I would like to personally thank all of the members of the conference committee, especially our leaders, Chairman Ted Kennedy, Chairwoman Mikulski, Senator Enzi, Chairman George Miller, Representative Buck McKeon, and Representative Ric Keller, for their commitment to producing a bipartisan, forward-looking bill that will update our existing higher education programs and address emerging needs. I thank all the committee staff members in both the majority and minority who worked with great commitment to getting the job done. They had a mindset that told me that they didn't know it couldn't be done, ``and that is why we did it.'' In the Higher Education Opportunity Act, we are taking significant steps to improve our student aid delivery system, ensure the integrity of our student loan programs, and provide students and families with the tools that they need to make informed choices about which college to attend and how to finance it. These are complex issues, and on a bipartisan, bicameral basis we have come together to offer some practical solutions. We couldn't have done it if we had not worked together. I am particularly proud of the provisions that will help our veterans and active duty military have full access to the education benefits that are due to them. The provision to establish veterans' centers and veteran student support teams on college campuses will help our veterans get the full benefit of the GI bill expansion that we just enacted. Finally, I would like to highlight the great progress we have made in strengthening minority serving institutions. After 10 years of waiting, Hispanic serving institutions will have support for graduate programs leading to masters and doctoral degrees. We are addressing the urgent needs for teachers and college faculty with an emphasis on building the capacity of minority serving institutions to meet this need. We will leverage minority serving institutions to engage more youth in science and technology. The Higher Education Opportunity Act represents real progress for our communities. In closing, I would like to thank all of my colleagues for helping us reach this point. I hope we can get this legislation, which measures over one foot, with over 1,100 pages, to the President's desk as soon as possible. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference report for H.R. 4137, the Higher Education Opportunity Act. We are near the end of our long journey to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. I would like to personally thank all of the members of the conference committee--especially our leaders Chairman Kennedy, Chairwoman Mikulski, Senator Enzi, Chairman Miller, Representative McKeon, and Representative Keller--for their commitment to producing a bipartisan, forward-looking bill that will update our existing higher education programs and address emerging needs. This has been an enormous undertaking. The last reauthorization of the Higher Education act took place during my first term in Congress over 10 years ago. We began this Congress with a series of hearings focused on the steps we needed to take to improve access and affordability in higher education and to position our Nation and our students too at the leading edge of the global economy. We asked the higher education community and all of our members to come forward with new ideas. This bill reflects the creativity and innovation that makes a U.S. college education sought after in all parts of the world. Last fall, we enacted into law the largest increase in Federal student aid since the GI bill with the College Cost Reduction Act. In the Higher Education Opportunity Act, we are taking significant steps to improve our student aid delivery system, ensure the integrity of our student loan programs, and provide students and families with the tools that they need to make informed choices about which college to attend and how to finance it. These are complex issues, and on a bipartisan, bicameral basis we have come together to offer some practical solutions. I am particularly proud of the provisions that will help our veterans and active duty military have full access to the education benefits that are due to them. The provision to establish veterans' centers and veteran student support teams on college campuses will help our veterans get the full benefits of the GI bill expansion that we just enacted. Finally, I would like to highlight the great progress we have made in strengthening minority-serving institutions. With over 40 percent of our public school children being racial or ethnic minorities and nearly half of all minority students attending minority-serving institutions, we are taking some very important steps in this legislation to build our capacity in this critical area. After 10 years of waiting, Hispanic-Serving Institutions will have support for graduate programs. We built on the foundation that we established in the College Cost Reduction and Access Act for Asian and Pacific Islander-serving institutions, predominantly Black Colleges and Universities, tribally- controlled colleges and universities, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. We are addressing the urgent need for teachers and college faculty with an emphasis on building the capacity of minority- serving institutions to meet this need. We will leverage minority- serving institutions to engage more youth in the sciences and technology. The Higher Education Opportunity Act represents real progress for our communities In closing, I would like to thank all of my colleagues for helping us reach this point. I hope that we can get this legislation to the President's desk as soon as possible.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3221. The assistance provided to homeowners in this housing package is desperately needed by troubled borrowers, nationwide and in my district. This housing rescue package is a win-win for the homeowners and the community in which they live, which will not deteriorate because of boarded-up homes left empty because of foreclosures. It's also a win for the investors, who will get paid because the homeowners will be making payments they can afford. Mr. Speaker, I am particularly pleased that this legislation includes a provision for rural areas. I want to thank Chairman Rangel and Chairman Frank for working with me and the rural housing groups to include this language in the bill. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this much-needed bill. The assistance provided to homeowners in this housing package is desperately needed by troubled borrowers nationwide and in my district, particularly Hidalgo County, which is one of the poorest counties in the United States. Where there are large concentrations of foreclosures, both families who have lost homes and their neighbors who remain behind, are suffering. Renters too may be in danger of losing their homes if their landlords go into foreclosure. This housing rescue package is a win-win for the homeowner--who may be able to stay in their home, and the community in which they live-- which will not deteriorate because of boarded-up homes left empty because of foreclosures. It is also a win for the investors--who might not get paid what was originally expected, but who will get paid because the homeowner, with a restructured mortgage, will be making payments they can afford. Mr. Speaker, I am particularly pleased that this legislation includes a provision for rural areas, which will clarify that the low-income housing-tax-credit may be used with the USDA's rental housing program for farm workers. I want to thank Chairman Rangel and Chairman Frank for working with me and the rural housing groups to include this language in the bill. The bill also includes the reform of governance of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks. These reforms and the new regulatory powers will help ensure that the GSEs continue to play a vital role in the overall mortgage market. I encourage my colleagues to support this much-needed bill.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1311, a resolution to express support for the designation of a National GEAR UP Day. I would like to commend the authors of this resolution, my good friend from Philadelphia, Representative Chaka Fattah, and my colleague on the Education and Labor Committee, Representative Mark Souder of Indiana. They're tremendous advocates for making the promise of GEAR UP a reality for all of our youth. GEAR UP addresses the key factors necessary to successfully navigate the college process: The aspiration to go to college, the academic preparation, understanding the admissions and financial aid processes, and having the financial resources to pay for college. GEAR UP mobilizes the community to address these factors by using Federal resources to leverage State, local and private sector resources. GEAR UP offers a simple but very powerful bargain. It tells students and families that if you stay in school and take the challenging classes, our community will guarantee that you have the financial aid and support you need to go to college. We have seen the power of this new bargain in south Texas. With our first generation of GEAR UP partnerships, we have seen high school graduation rates and college preparedness soar. We have seen unprecedented growth in our college enrollment. We are fortunate to have a second generation of GEAR UP programs in south Texas. Between the Region One Education Service Center and the University of Texas Pan American GEAR UP project, we will reach over 17,000 students and their families, over 95 percent Hispanic, nearly all economically disadvantaged and the first generation to go to college. Through GEAR UP, these students and families not only know that college is possible, but they also will know how to make it a reality, forever changing the aspirations and expectations of our entire region. Today I had the tremendous honor of hosting a GEAR UP delegation of more than 100 parents, students and staff from Region 1 and the University of Texas Pan American. I would like to congratulate them for representing our area so well at the national GEAR UP gathering going on here in Washington. I shared with them the Chaka Fattah story and how he introduced it and how I heard the story and told him I am committed, passionate about education, and I think this is the best thing that has come out since sliced bread, I told Chaka, and I worked hard to get the numbers we needed to pass this.

Mr. HINOJOSA. I say that Chaka Fattah is absolutely to be known here in Washington and in Congress for the great work he did in making GEAR UP the success story that it is. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution; and more importantly, to support the expansion of the GEAR UP program in their districts and across the Nation.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of an issue of great importance to both the Nation and my congressional district in south Texas. As a life-long resident of the southern border region, America's relationship with Mexico is of great importance to me, to my constituents, our chambers of commerce and economic development corporations. For far too long, our Nation has focused its attention upon far-away lands on the other side of the world while our relationship with our closest of neighbors has languished. While current and past administrations shoulder much of the blame for our history of inattention to Mexico, Congress has been complicit in this failure. When our Nation has needed to show compassion and understanding for the Mexican people, this Congress has been unable to agree on a comprehensive immigration plan befitting our American heritage. When our Nation should be celebrating our partnership and common interests with a close geographic ally, this Congress has literally built a wall between ourselves and Mexico. This is no way to treat a friend and neighbor and actually our second largest trading partner. Although not a solution to all of the deficiencies in our relationship with Mexico, the Merida Initiative is a step in the right direction. Border residents are keenly aware of the violence and dangers of the drug trade and the criminal networks that span our continent. While based within Mexico, these criminal cartels are an affliction of the entire continent and must be addressed through national partnerships and cooperation. We were there in Monterrey yesterday with a large delegation of Members of Congress and the Senate and we heard from and had a great dialogue with the congressmen and senators of that country. They are the ones who are fighting this battle for us.

Mr. HINOJOSA. They are the ones who are at the forefront as Colombia and other countries are bringing their drugs through Mexico, and they are the ones who have to fight it. They are the ones who have given up their lives. They are the ones who are helping us fight the drug cartel. I ask my colleagues to please join me in supporting this important initiative.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5524, the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act. I would like to thank my two good friends, Representative John Yarmuth from Kentucky and Representative Judy Biggert from Illinois, for their strong leadership on this important legislation to my district in south Texas and to the whole Nation. An estimated 2.8 million youth under the age of 17 experience a homeless situation each year. Many more young adults under the age of 24 find themselves without a place to call home. Our Nation's homeless youth are exposed to some of the harshest elements imaginable. They are exposed to the harsh elements of hot and cold weather. These homeless youth are exposed to the harsh elements of crime, of abuse and exploitation on the street. They are vulnerable to illness and physical trauma. These homeless youth are deprived of the protective and nurturing elements that come with a home and a strong supportive family. They are robbed of the supports necessary for a productive adulthood. The Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act will reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, which provides support to youth through basic centers and shelters, transitional living programs and street outreach. This is the only Federal law targeted solely to unaccompanied youth. I am very proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation and would like to thank the authors for including many of the provisions to improve the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act from legislation I introduced last summer. H.R. 3409, the Place to Call Home Act, is included in this bill. Homelessness among our Nation's youth will persist until all sectors of society, including the Congress, declare that a safe place to live and a connection to permanent and loving families and communities are basic needs we will ensure for all young people. This legislation is one significant step in that direction. I strongly urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5524, the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3021, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public Schools Act. It is high time that we include public schools on the list of critical infrastructure that requires significant Federal investment and support. I would like to commend Congressman Ben Chandler of Kentucky and Chairmen Miller and Kildee for their leadership on this vital legislation. Our public schools educate roughly 90 percent of children in the United States. We are counting on our public schools to prepare the leaders and workforce of tomorrow. Yet according to several estimates the need for school construction and renovation is in the hundreds of billions of dollars--as much as $322 billion according to analysis from the National Education Association. Worse, the students in the areas where the need for school modernization is most acute are minority students who now represent 43 percent of the total student population. Improving school facilities is also about improving educational opportunities and equality. I am especially pleased that the manager's substitute includes specific language regarding the renovation and improvement of science and engineering laboratories in our schools. 52 percent of school principals reported having no science laboratory facilities in a National Center for Education Statistics survey. Simply put, we can never succeed in our national imperative to improve our competitiveness in the STEM fields if our children do not have the opportunity to experience and practice science and engineering. I would like to thank Chairman Miller and Chairman Kildee for working with me and my colleague from Vermont, Congressman Peter Welch to include the important provision in the bill before us today. I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3021.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 350 and 351, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on No. 350 and ``yea'' on No. 351.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009. The Armed Forces Tuition Assistance program offers active duty personnel in our Nation's Armed Forces an annual stipend to enroll in college courses during their off-duty time. Unfortunately, low awareness of this program and the rigorous and inflexible schedules of our troops have prevented the full utilization of these programs. While the education of our veterans deservedly garners much of our attention, it is important for us to remember that our servicemembers' educational pursuits should not be suspended while on active duty. Our modest amendment will authorize military installations to enter into partnerships with educational institutions to help provide a richer and more flexible course schedule for our men and women in the armed services. I wish to thank Mr. Castle for joining with me in this effort and hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting this amendment.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably detained in my Congressional District in Texas on Tuesday, May 13, 2008. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall votes 306, 307, and 308.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 317, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Stated against:

Mr. HINOJOSA

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

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the underlying bill, H.R. 3221, the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008, and in particular H.R. 5830, the FHA Housing Stabilization and Homeownership Retention Act of 2008, which is part of this housing rescue package. I am proud to be a cosponsor of H.R. 5830. I believe that it is a well-balanced measure that will go a long way towards turning around the housing crisis and address the issues that have resulted in a nationwide economic crisis. Mr. Speaker, I am especially pleased with title II of the bill which establishes a long-needed Office of Housing Counseling within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. I commend Chairman Frank and Ranking Member Waters for including it in their bill. I sincerely appreciate the fact that community-based organizations with expertise in the field of housing counseling will be given a voice in the development of such policies. I am pleased that the bill provides for the building of capacity to provide housing counseling services in areas that lack sufficient services such as large parts of my district in the Rio Grande Valley and in rural America in general. Moreover, I applaud Chairman Frank and Congresswoman Waters for including in the bill the authorization of $3 million for public service announcements as part of the act's national public service multimedia campaign. This campaign will help persons facing mortgage foreclosure, elderly persons, persons who face language barriers, and low-income persons. I want to take this opportunity to thank them for increasing the availability, affordability, and quality of housing in rural America. And I believe this bill will do more of the same. Mr. Speaker, I believe the product Chairman Frank and Congresswoman Waters have brought to the floor will result in more homeowners remaining in their homes and help stabilize the housing market. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 280, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Coastal Bend College, in Beeville, Texas on its 40th Anniversary. Bee County Junior College District was created by election on November 2, 1965. The election resulted from several years of work to establish a community college for Bee County. Support was shown by residents in an overwhelming five-to-one majority for the creation of the district. The desire for a community college was again demonstrated on December 7, 1965, when district citizens approved a tax to support BCC, and bond issues to build the college. Bee County College opened in September 1967 with 790 students, 24 full-time instructors and 11 part-time teachers. Its first class graduated in May of 1968. In 1998 Bee County College changed its name to Coastal Bend College to reflect its expanding role in the region. Today, the Coastal Bend College service area includes Karnes, McMullen, Live Oak, Bee, Duval, Jim Wells and Brooks Counties, and parts of Atascosa and Kleberg Counties with campuses in Alice, Beeville, Kingsville and Pleasanton. Enrollment in academic, workforce education and continuing education classes during the spring of 2006 was 3,534. More than 100,000 students have passed through at least one of the four campuses over the past 40 years. Coastal Bend College's current president, Dr. Thomas B. Baynum, came to the college in 2007. Under his leadership, the Texas Coordinating Board recently approved the opening of a full nursing program at Coastal Bend College. This new nursing program will help the school provide training that will not only offer graduates good paying jobs, but will also help alleviate the severe nursing shortage which this rural region faces as well as our State of Texas. As a Hispanic Serving Institution, Coastal Bend College plays a critical role in graduating Hispanic students who will make up a large portion of our future workforce. The Higher Education Reauthorization Act, which is currently being negotiated in Congress, will help colleges like Coastal Bend increase their recruitment of minority students. This weekend, Coastal Bend College will be celebrating this important 40th anniversary with a variety of events, including musical performances, art exhibits and most importantly, the graduation of students in its 40th graduating class. I want to again congratulate Coastal Bend College for reaching this important milestone and wish every graduating student success in their future endeavors.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, on this Cinco de Mayo, it is quite appropriate that the City of Edcouch, in my Congressional district, is repealing a 1931 city ordinance that should have never been approved. This ordinance segregated the city into two portions based strictly on racial and national origin. It was this type of prejudice, sanctioned by local government, which created fear and insecurity among the residents of Edcouch and the surrounding region. It was this type of discrimination that caused my family to move from Edcouch to Mercedes, Texas. I recall how my brothers and I had to attend segregated schools in Edcouch. It did not matter that my parents and family were upstanding citizens of Edcouch or that my father started and ran a business. It didn't matter that we were hardworking and wanted to help the community grow, and it did not matter that we were U.S. citizens. No, it was our last name and family lineage that defined who we were and where we could live. That type of treatment stays in your mind forever. That is why this Nation has to constantly strive to improve civil rights for everyone in 2008 and beyond. The struggle for civil rights by Mexican-Americans and other Hispanics throughout the southwest is well documented. In my district, it was the 1968 Edcouch-Elsa high school walkouts that sent a loud message that justice had not yet been achieved for all. Those walkouts eventually led to a Federal court declaring the ban on Spanish speaking in schools to be unconstitutional. That demonstration and legal action led to the establishment of bilingual education in public schools. Back in the 1930s and 1940s, little did anyone expect that a Mexican- American, born in Edcouch, would one day be the U.S. Congressman representing the Edcouch community. But, we should not focus completely on the past. We must look forward, because many challenges remain. The ugly head of prejudice still shows itself, especially against immigrants. My parents were immigrants and many others like them are greatly responsible for much of the Nation's economic growth. That is why comprehensive immigration reform is so important. At the local level, much remains to be done to help Edcouch and the surrounding Delta region reach its potential. Projects such as the Mercado Delta and the future Gran Parque will raise the quality of life in this community to another level. I congratulate the City of Edcouch for being a full partner in these projects and for seeing a greater future for itself. Today, it has taken a very symbolic and significant step to correct an injustice from its past. For that, I commend the community and its city leaders and am confident that Edcouch will become a model of success in the Rio Grande Valley region.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5715, the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act. I especially want to thank Chairman George Miller and ranking member Buck McKeon and all the others who have worked with us to be able to resolve the challenge of access and affordability to higher education to all those who wish to go to that level of education. This is urgent legislation, and I thank the leadership in both the House and the Senate for ensuring its swift passage. We are all united in our commitment to provide every assurance to students and families that there will be no disruption in the Federal student loan programs, regardless of what is happening in the financial markets in our country. As of today, no student has been unable to find a lender for a Federal student loan. However, we are not going to wait until students and families are denied loans before putting safeguards in place. Today is the day that many incoming freshman students must decide which college they will attend in the fall. Financial aid is a critical consideration for that decision process. We can leave no doubt in the minds of students, families or campuses about the availability of that aid. That is why we must send this legislation to the President for his signature without delay. Mr. Speaker, this legislation will provide much-needed liquidity to the student loan marketplace by authorizing the Secretary of Education on a temporary basis to purchase student loans so that lenders have the funds to make new loans. The legislation clarifies the lender-of-last- resort option so that, if called upon, guaranty agencies will be able to fulfill their role as lender of last resort as required under the Higher Education Act. The legislation will reduce the reliance on private loans to fill the gap between Federal student aid and the cost of college by increasing the amount a student can borrow in the unsubsidized loan program. This contingency plan for the student loan marketplace will come at no cost to the taxpayers. In fact, any savings that may be generated will be directed to the Academic Competitiveness and SMART grants that are available to needy students who complete a rigorous program of study in high school and those students who are pursuing majors in high-need fields, such as science, engineering, technology and foreign languages.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Finally, with H.R. 5715 we are signaling that we will bring all of our tools to the task of guaranteeing access to student loans. This legislation also calls upon Treasury and our Federal financial institutions to do their share to ensure that there is sufficient capital in the Federal student loan marketplace. I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this critical stopgap legislation.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the students of South Texas High School for Health Professions in Mercedes, Texas for once again excelling in the Health Occupations Students of America state competition. This year 13 Med High students scored first or second among all Texas students in competitions testing their knowledge of subjects ranging from nutrition to personal care to first aid techniques. The hard work of these South Texas high school students is to he commended, as is their involvement with HOSA. As our Nation struggles to find and train a sufficient number of health care workers to meet the needs of our aging population, HOSA has endeavored to play a leading role in training high school and post- secondary students for futures in health care careers. To date, over 90,000 students have participated in the HOSA program through approximately 2,600 secondary and post-secondary chapters across the country. By expanding the number of students receiving training and instruction in health care careers, our Nation would be investing in the futures of both our students and our communities. This Congress, I have introduced H.R. 3618, the Safe Schools and Health Care Professional Pipeline Act, to facilitate the expansion of health care and medical education in our secondary and post-secondary institutions. This bill will create a pipeline of trained students into the health professions, where they will be able to provide for the medical needs of their communities. By introducing these students to health care careers at an early age, our high schools and universities will join in our effort to sustain an adequate supply of medical professionals while developing the skills of our young people. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in commending the accomplishments of the students of Med High and in supporting the Safe Schools and Health Care Professional Pipeline Act.