Rubén Hinojosa

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 135, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Owens

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I rise with great sadness to pay tribute to and honor the life of Representative Donald Payne, an esteemed colleague and devoted public servant. Committed to social and economic justice, Representative Donald Payne spent his life helping the most vulnerable in America and abroad. During my tenure in Congress, I had the pleasure of serving with Congressman Donald Payne on the Education and Workforce Committee. As a former public school teacher, Congressman Payne understood the needs of students, parents, teachers, and educators and the value of a good education. As a senior member of the Education and Workforce Committee, Representative Payne worked tirelessly to expand educational opportunity for disadvantaged children and youth, and to ensure that all children had access to a quality education. Congressman Donald Payne was a true champion for American workers and the middle class, always fighting to ensure that workers had safe working conditions and family-sustaining wages. In the area of Foreign Affairs, Congressman Payne was known around the globe for his outstanding leadership in promoting peace and democracy in Africa. Representative Donald Payne will be greatly missed in this chamber. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, his staff, and the people of New Jersey.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Chair, I rise today to express my opposition to H.R. 2117, the Protecting Academic Freedom in Higher Education Act, misguided legislation that repeals efforts to protect students' and taxpayers' investment in higher education. Every year, the Federal Government spends billions of dollars on student financial aid, and we must account for these Federal investments. As ranking member of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, I am deeply concerned that H.R. 2117 would undermine the Secretary of Education's ability to oversee and safeguard our Federal investment in higher ed. In my view, strong regulations strengthen the accountability and review of institutions of higher education that participate in Federal student aid programs, and help to maintain program integrity. In a globally competitive world, our students deserve to get what they pay for--high quality educational programs that prepare them for the demands of the 21st century workforce--and nothing less. H.R. 2117 repeals the U.S. Department of Education's credit-hour regulation, which sets a minimum standard for the work needed to equal a credit hour for the purposes of the Federal Student Aid program. To avoid having institutions overstate credit hours or inflate the Federal student aid paid for students attending those programs, we must have consistent measures for credit hours. The credit-hour definition provided by the Department is consistent with standard industry practice and provides needed flexibility for innovative programs. H.R. 2117 also repeals the requirement that higher education institutions be legally authorized in the States they operate in and that they have a process in place for handling student complaints when an institution fails to live up to its promises. Repealing this regulation is clearly unacceptable. Students need to be protected from unscrupulous actors. Most importantly, I am very disappointed that we are not using our time today to focus on making college more affordable. We must ensure that interest rates for need-based undergraduate student loans do not double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent in July of this year. If Congress fails to act, more than 7 million students will face approximately $2,800 in higher loan repayment costs. Now, more than ever, American students need Congress' help to afford the cost of a college education. In closing, I urge my colleagues to vote against H.R. 2117 because Congress and the Department of Education must provide strong oversight for Federal student aid dollars and do everything possible to put students and taxpayers first and protect them from the risk of fraud, waste, and abuse in our Federal student aid programs.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Chair, on rollcall No. 75, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' (By unanimous consent, Mr. LaTourette was allowed to speak out of order.)

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass the American DREAM Act. This past weekend, I learned of the tragic death of Joaquin Luna, a senior student at Juarez Lincoln High School in Mission, Texas, who took his life because he believed that he would never be able to fulfill his dream of becoming an engineer, earning his citizenship, and leading a full and prosperous life in America. Brought to the United States as an infant, Joaquin attended our Nation's public schools, played the guitar at his church, and hoped to go to college and achieve the American Dream. I cannot express the sorrow I feel on the loss of such a talented young man. I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to Joaquin's family and friends. I cannot imagine the pain they are suffering. It is heartbreaking to know that many of us in the U.S. House of Representatives passed the DREAM Act at this time last year, only to see the legislation held up in the Senate by a vote of 55-41. Today, as Joaquin Luna's body is laid to rest, I believe it is imperative to underscore the urgency of passing the DREAM Act in the 112th Congress and renewing hope for DREAM students. As a proud cosponsor of H.R. 1842, the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2011, better known as the DREAM Act, I urge President Obama and my colleagues in the House and the Senate to put their ideological differences aside and do what is right. Now more than ever, we must give these young people an opportunity to pursue their college and career goals, resolve their immigration status, and earn their citizenship. The DREAM Act would allow these students the opportunity to earn legal status if they were 15 years old or younger when they were brought to America, are long-term U.S. residents and have lived in the United States for at least 5 years before the enactment of the law, have good moral character, graduate from high school or obtain a GED, and complete 2 years of college or military service in good standing. Having been brought by their parents to the United States as children, these young men and women know America as their home. Without question, DREAM students exemplify the best of American ideals, such as hard work, perseverance, and the desire to contribute to our Nation's workforce, economy, and civic life. In the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, DREAM students have excelled in school and have become valedictorians, Advanced Placement Scholars, and student leaders, despite facing difficult circumstances. As ranking member for the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, I have no doubt that the DREAM students can help America achieve President Obama's ambitious high school and college completion goals by the year 2020. Many of these students are working tirelessly to earn their high school and college diplomas and aspire to become professionals in the sectors of our workforce which need their talent, skills, and ingenuity. In the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, better known as STEM, our country must train a new generation of high- skilled scientists, engineers, and mathematicians to bolster scientific discovery and spur technological innovation. Simply stated, these talented youth can help our Nation increase its global competitiveness and be the innovators of tomorrow. Finally, it's important to note that the DREAM Act has enjoyed broad, bipartisan support from Members of Congress and Administration officials on both sides of the aisle. They include Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, and Carlos Gutierrez, former Secretary of Commerce under President Bush. Chancellors and university presidents and thousands of students, civil rights groups, and prominent education, business, religious leaders, and elected officials support the DREAM Act because it is humane and sensible. It's the right thing to do.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 745, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to say that Democrats in Congress continue to work tirelessly to improve the lives of America's Latino families. During the 111th Congress, we passed historic legislation that made college more accessible and affordable and broadened the scope of health care for very many families. When Democrats controlled the Congress, we increased the maximum Pell Grant, in a bipartisan vote, from $4,050 to the current $5,550, an increase of 37 percent. While I was chairman of the Subcommittee on Higher Ed, I proudly stood next to President Obama when he signed the historic Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 into law. This new law increased college aid for the 39 percent of Hispanic college students who receive Pell Grants each year. In contrast, the proposed Republican budget will cut college aid for nearly 10 million students, slashing the maximum Pell Grant award by more than $2,500. Today, I stand here with my colleagues in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month to say that we must pass the DREAM Act. We cannot turn our backs on these hard working, talented students who call America their home. Brought here as children and through no fault of their own, DREAM Act students deserve a chance to go to college and become U.S. citizens. I am proud of my heritage. I am proud of my ancestors who came to this country from Mexico over one hundred years ago. I am proud of the contributions made by America's growing Latino community. Today, I urge my colleagues in Congress to join us in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. Let us honor our great Nation. Let us all work harder to make the American Dream a reality for all.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 693, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to express my strong support for H.R. 2218, the Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act. This bill strengthens our Nation's charter schools by making much needed improvements to current law, and I commend Chairman John Kline and Ranking Member George Miller of the Education and Workforce Committee for their leadership on this issue. As ranking member of the Subcommittee on Higher Education, I want to help K-12 schools to give us college-ready high school graduates and to send them to colleges or 4-year universities. That's why I support H.R. 2218. In regard to accessibility, this bill helps to ensure that English language learners and students with disabilities have an opportunity to attend and excel in high quality charter schools. Under this proposal, charter school authorizers must ensure that charter schools comply with the Civil Rights Act, as well as Individuals With Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act, and monitor the schools in recruiting, enrolling, and meeting the needs of students with disabilities and English language learners. I am pleased that the manager's amendment to H.R. 2218 requires authorizers to ensure that charter schools solicit and consider input from parents and community members on the implementation and operation of charter schools. This bill prioritizes high quality charter schools. By adding a new definition for high quality charter schools and providing priority consideration for States with high quality charter schools, this bill encourages States to set higher expectations for our Nation's charter schools. This legislation improves charter authorizing. H.R. 2218 ensures that authorizers within the State monitor the performance of charter schools and require charter schools to conduct and publicly report financial audits.

Mr. HINOJOSA. In my congressional district, the IDEA public high schools, a network of high quality public charter schools, have done a terrific job of preparing minorities, English language learners, and students with disabilities for college and careers. Currently, IDEA public schools operate 20 schools in 10 communities in the Rio Grande Valley. This year, all the IDEA public schools were rated exemplary, the highest district rating issued by the Texas Education Agency; and our IDEA college preparatory school in Donna, Texas, has been recognized as one of the very best high schools in the Nation. In fact, 100 percent of IDEA public school graduates are enrolled in a community college or university. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 2218. I applaud Tom Torkelsen, JoAnn Gama, co-founders of the IDEA Public Schools, as well as the teachers, parents, staff, and community members for their outstanding track record and unwavering commitment to fulfill IDEA's mission of `College For All Children.' Out nation's public charter schools must strive to be high-performing and inclusive; have the highest standards of excellence, accountability, and transparency; and foster strong, healthy partnerships with traditional public schools that yield successful outcomes for all students.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 515, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.'' Amendment No. 61 Offered by Ms. Foxx

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of June 2011 National Homeownership Month. The most current data show that of 130.7 million homes in the United States, 74.9 million serve as principal residences. Another 37.0 million homes are renter-occupied, and the remaining 18.8 million are either for sale, for rent, or for seasonal use. Despite the recent economic decline, the people of the United States remain one of the best-housed populations in the world. Owning a home remains a fundamental part of the American dream and the largest personal investment many families will ever make. High homeownership rates help communities through higher property values, lower crime, and higher civic participation. Homeownership promotes a more even distribution of income and wealth, and establishes greater individual financial security. It improves living conditions, which can lead to a healthier population. Homeownership creates neighborhood stability since owners are more inclined to remain in the community for a longer period of time than renters. It has been proven to increase social and political involvement due to the concern about one's property value. Homeownership correlates with lower neighborhood crime. It fosters more responsible behavior among youths in the community, such as higher academic achievement and lower teen pregnancy rates, due to the monitoring mechanism put in place to maintain the attractiveness of a community. Economists have been able to establish that a correlation between homeownership and these positive neighborhood effects does exist. Improving homeownership opportunities requires the commitment and cooperation of the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, including the Federal Government and State and local governments. It is of the utmost importance that we maintain the mortgage interest deduction and the 30-year fixed rate mortgage as their elimination would damage the availability and cost of mortgage capital for millions of Americans, especially while the housing market recovery remains fragile. The same can be said of the ill-conceived downpayment portion of the ``Qualified Residential Mortgages'' proposal. As part of the financial reform legislation, we here in Congress designed a clear framework for improving the quality of mortgage lending and restoring private capital to the housing market. To discourage excessive risk taking, we required securitizers to retain five percent of the credit risk on loans packaged and sold as mortgage securities. However, because across-the-board risk retention would impose significant costs on responsible, creditworthy borrowers, we also created an exemption for ``Qualified Residential Mortgages,'' defined to include mortgages with product features and sound underwriting standards that have been proven to reduce default. Rather than creating a system of penalties to discourage bad lending and incentives for appropriate lending, regulators have developed a rule that is too narrowly drawn. Of particular concern are the provisions of the proposal mandating high downpayments. The principal barrier to homeownership is accumulating the money needed for downpayment and closing costs. It is estimated that it would take the average American family, living frugally and saving at the current national rate, nearly seven years to save for a 5 percent down payment on a $200,000 home and more than 10 years to save for 10 percent down. The regulators' proposal to require a 20 percent downpayment is tantamount to declaring war on homeownership. Only the elite in the United States would be able to afford such a downpayment. The supermajority of residents in Hidalgo County located in my district in Texas would not be able to meet the downpayment requirement, thereby depriving them of the American Dream. Hidalgo County is the second poorest county in the country. 89 percent of my constituents are Hispanic, the poorest of the poor, and tend to operate in a cash society. My constituents already have difficulty meeting current downpayment requirements, much less an even higher, ill-conceived 20 percent downpayment. It has been proven that once my poorest constituents actually own a home, they manage to make the monthly mortgage payments and turn a household into an actual ``home.'' The proposed qualified residential mortgage definition harms creditworthy borrowers while frustrating housing recovery. It violates congressional intent and makes homeownership more expensive for millions of responsible consumers. At this time in history, given our economic and political climate, changes should not be made to the mortgage interest deduction, the 30 year fixed interest mortgage, or downpayment requirements that are pragmatic and beneficial to our constituents and our economy, especially while the housing market recovery remains fragile. They would reduce the availability and increase the cost of mortgage capital for millions of Americans. President Obama has declared June 2011 as National Homeownership Month. It is my sincere hope that this Administration will do the right thing and leave time tested deductions, requirements, and downpayments alone. I strongly support June 2011 as declare my steadfast opposition to the proposed qualified residential mortgages proposal, modifications to the mortgage interest deduction, and changes to the 30-year fixed interest mortgage.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 442, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' Amendment No. 3 offered by Mr. Blumenauer

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chair, during rollcall vote No. 273, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 258, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 221, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I had to return to my district because of the illness and subsequent death of my sister. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall No. 95, 114 and 146 and ``nay'' on rollcall No. 93, 94, 96-113, 115-145, 147.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 66, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 2. Over one-third of my constituents in the 15th Congressional District of Texas are currently uninsured. With passage of the Affordable Care Act, that number, which has risen year after year, is finally coming down. I project that the percentage of uninsured individuals could drop to only 10 percent. Right now, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, children who are 26 and under can stay on their parents' policy as they finish school and search for a job. With the passage of health care reform in 2010, senior citizens who hit the doughnut hole are now going to receive rebates and small businesses have had their taxes cut, all the result of the Affordable Care Act. If the proposed health care act repeal were to pass, it will destroy this progress I have seen in my district and in my State. The families and businesses in my district cannot afford more uncertainty. They cannot afford to go back to the old health care system that was not working for millions of Americans and whose spiraling costs were driving our Federal budget into the abyss. Right now, the Affordable Care Act is extending affordable health care insurance to millions of Americans. However, here in Congress, the majority party is asking the House to repeal the law we passed without holding hearings and without offering a meaningful alternative to the American people who are working, who are presently without insurance, or who have preexisting medical conditions. Those Americans were struggling to pay for hefty premiums to insurers. If there are some things that need to be fixed in the present law, we can fix them, but throwing out all the progress we have made is not the answer. The focus of this new Congress should be reducing the staggeringly high 9\1/2\ percent unemployment rate. Instead, we have a bill before us today that makes it harder for businesses to provide benefits to the employees that eliminate the hundreds of thousands of new jobs that were being created in the health and medical fields. The Affordable Care Act doesn't reduce jobs; it saves lives. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 2.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall No. 660 and 661.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support the Senate amendment to H.R. 5116, the America COMPETES Act. Chairman Bart Gordon and Congressman Ralph Hall, I commend you for bringing this legislation to the floor. More than ever, our Nation must invest in the scientific and technological building blocks that bolster American competitiveness in a 21st century global economy. The America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 achieves this and more by fostering innovation, supporting manufacturers and industry, preparing a STEM workforce, and creating jobs. This bill takes bold steps in broadening the participation of underrepresented minorities and women in the STEM fields. I want to recognize Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson, Ben Ray Lujan, Silvestre Reyes, the Diversity and Innovation Caucus, and other members of the Tri-Caucus for their outstanding leadership in championing diversity issues in the reauthorization of this act. As Subcommittee chairman for Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness, I am pleased that America COMPETES will more fully integrate our Nation's minority-serving institutions into research partnerships and Federal programs and promote the inclusion and success of minorities in the STEM fields. Establishing strong regional university and industry partnerships in research and innovation at the National Science Foundation will spur economic growth and connect students to high-tech jobs.

Mr. HINOJOSA. This bill will expand undergraduate research opportunities for women, minorities, and persons with disabilities at the National Science Foundation. Hands-on learning experiences are key to improving the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students in the STEM fields and in preparing a new generation of scientists who will contribute to our Nation's technological innovation and competitiveness. This bill complements our work on the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, known as SAFRA, enacted as part of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, and our efforts to improve science and math literacy in our Nation's public schools. I strongly urge my colleagues to support the Senate amendment to H.R. 5116. Again, I compliment our chairman, Bart Gordon, for his tremendous leadership.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly urge my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to vote for the American Dream Act. This legislation provides conditional nonimmigrant status to young individuals of college age who are eager to contribute to our nation's workforce, economy, and Armed Forces. I personally want to thank the Coalition for Educational Opportunity at the University of Texas--Pan American, and the thousands of students, civil rights groups, and prominent education, business, and religious leaders who have fought tirelessly to pass the DREAM Act. In my congressional district, I want to recognize Alex Garrido and Dora Martinez, two courageous UTPA college students, who fasted for one week to express their support for the DREAM Act. I am extremely grateful to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Carlos Gutierrez, former Secretary of Commerce, and many chancellors and many university presidents for underscoring the urgency of passing the DREAM Act. As Subcommittee chairman for Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness, I believe that our nation should encourage all students to succeed in school, particularly those students who are working hard and serving as role models to their peers. In the Rio Grande Valley of deep South Texas and across the country, DREAM act students are exceptional young men and women. Despite facing difficult circumstances, these students have excelled in school, and become valedictorians, AP scholars, and distinguished student leaders. Our nation cannot afford to turn away these talented youth. In order to remain competitive in the global economy, our country must train a new generation of highly skilled STEM professionals--scientists, engineers, and mathematicians--to bolster scientific discovery and spur the technological innovation that our nation desperately needs. Above all, these students will help our nation meet its college completion goals. Our Armed Forces need courageous service men and women to ensure our Nation's military readiness. Our schools need great teachers to help us close the achievement gap. I urge my colleagues to vote for the DREAM Act and give these deserving students a chance to make meaningful contributions to our Nation's workforce, economy, military and civic life.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote for the American DREAM Act. This legislation provides conditional nonimmigrant status to young individuals of college age who are eager to contribute to our Nation's workforce, economy, and Armed Forces. I personally want to thank the Coalition for Educational Opportunity at the University of Texas-Pan American and the thousands of students, civil rights groups, and prominent education and business and religious leaders who have fought tirelessly to pass the DREAM Act. In my congressional district I want to recognize Alex Garrido and Dora Martinez, two courageous UTPA college students, who fasted for 1 week to express their support for the DREAM Act. I am extremely grateful to Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, former Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, and many chancellors and many university presidents who are underscoring the urgency of passing the DREAM Act. Our Armed Forces need courageous servicemen and -women to encourage our Nation's military readiness. I ask everyone to vote in favor of the DREAM Act.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, our Nation cannot afford to turn away these talented youths. In order to remain competitive in the global economy, our country must train a new generation of highly skilled STEM professionals--scientists, engineers, and mathematicians--to bolster the scientific discovery and to spur the technological innovation that our Nation desperately needs. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and support the DREAM Act. I rise today to strongly urge my colleagues to vote for the DREAM Act . . . H.R. 5281. Our students have been waiting for nearly a decade for Congress to act on this important legislation, and according to estimates by the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation, this bill will reduce deficits by about $2.2 billion during the period . . . 2011 to 2020. It's time for Congress to pass the DREAM Act and do what is just and sensible and give these deserving students a chance to make meaningful contributions to our Nation's workforce, economy, military and civic life. As Subcommittee chairman for Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness, I believe that our Nation must encourage all students to succeed in school, particularly those students who are hardworking and serving as role models to their peers. This legislation supports our nation's high school and college completion goals and helps to reduce dropout rates. In the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas and across the country, DREAM Act students are exceptional young men and women. Despite facing difficult circumstances, many of these students have excelled in school, and become valedictorians, AP scholars, and distinguished student leaders. There are at least 1,000 college students in my congressional district who would benefit from this legislation. Our nation cannot afford to turn away these talented youth. In order to remain competitive in the global economy, our country must train a new generation of highly-skilled STEM professionals--scientists, engineers, and mathematicians--to bolster scientific discovery and spur the technological innovation that our Nation desperately needs. These students are ready and willing to contribute to our country and do what is necessary to achieve their career goals and earn their citizenship. DREAM Act students exemplify the American ideals of hard work, perseverance, a desire to succeed and contribute to this Nation--values that we in Congress extol and strive to instill in all students. Importantly, these young men and women are an integral part of our families and communities. Many of these students were brought here as children, and know America as their only home. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and support the DREAM Act . . . H.R. 5281.