Steny Hoyer

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the first use of the word ``America''--a name that has come to symbolize liberty, opportunity and an unyielding hope for humanity. In the 500 years that have passed since the word ``America'' was first used, the term has become more of a concept than a name--an idea that celebrates what is truly special about the world in which we live; a principle that defines what democracy, equality, freedom and unity are all about; and a goal that people all over the world have embraced since our country's inception. We have come a long way since 1507--from a simple name on a map, to a moral, political and economic leader among nations. It gives me great pride to mark this 5th centenary of the name ``America,'' and to express my sincere hope that the next 500 years of our country's history provide just as many benefits to the people of the world as the last 500.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. I thank the chairman for yielding, and I want to congratulate the chairman. There is nobody in this body who has served longer with more focus on the quality of education, the access to higher education, and whether we're dealing with primary, secondary or higher education, more concern than George Miller of California, and I congratulate him on the service that he has given. I also want to congratulate the ranking member, who himself has been an outspoken advocate of education quality in America. Let me say, before I start my remarks, that I'm always interested to hear the comments of the ranking member of the Budget Committee and of the leader of the Republican Study Committee. I'm interested to hear their remarks because of course they have both said nine new entitlements. I was here with both of them for 3 hours one night, from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. in the morning, and we enacted the largest entitlement that has been enacted since the 1960s, and we were told that was going to cost $395 billion by the administration. The administration did not tell us the truth, and they knew they were not telling us the truth. And the person who knew the truth was prohibited by the administration from giving us the truth on pain of being removed, a civil servant, not an administration appointee. He knew the cost of that program, as he projected it, was $524 billion, or $125 billion more than we were told on this floor. But it was told $395 billion additional entitlement. Now the interesting thing is that Mr. Ryan and Mr. Hensarling both voted for that program. That program has a larger unfunded liability as of this day than Social Security. So I think the lecture on fiscal responsibility is, frankly, not well taken.

Mr. HOYER. I would be glad to yield to my friend.

Mr. HOYER. The gentleman, of course, is not on this floor lamenting the creation of entitlements as is my friend from Texas, so I suggest your question is inappropriate because your concern is about entitlements. But you voted for an entitlement that was the largest entitlement passed on the floor of this House in four decades, about as long as I think the gentleman has been alive. I wish that I could say the same; unfortunately, I've been alive a lot longer than that. So I think the question begs the question, my friend. But let me say about this landmark legislation, the College Cost Reduction of 2007 is yet another example of how this Democratic Congress is committed to moving our Nation in a new and better direction and working on behalf of the American people. In short, this legislation will provide the single largest investment in college financial aid, and about $18 billion over the next 5 years. Now, that is about one-fifteenth of the mistake that was made in the entitlement that you supported, my friend. And it's the largest since the GI Bill was funded in 1944. The GI Bill was an entitlement. And very frankly, the Greatest Generation was worth investing in. And that investment has paid off 100 fold in the economy that this Greatest Generation built in America, and it will do so in this case as well. And it does so at no new cost to the American taxpayer by cutting excess subsidies paid by the Federal Government to lenders in the student loans industry. The administration suggested $16 billion. We're a little above that. So there is not a disagreement as to whether or not there is an overpayment here; it's a question of where you're going to put your money. In fact, it includes a $750 million, not a lot of money in the scheme of billions of dollars and trillions of dollars, reduction in the deficit. A few months ago Bill Gates, the chairman and cofounder of the Microsoft Corporation and one of our Nation's great innovators, wrote in the Washington Post, ``If we, the United States, are to remain competitive, we need a workforce that consists of the world's brightest minds.'' That's what this bill seeks to enhance. Mr. Gates added, ``Education has always been the gateway to a better life in this country.'' Mr. Speaker, this legislation not only recognizes that education is a key to personal development, fulfillment and success, but also, and critically, a crucial factor in our national competitiveness, our continued prosperity, and yes, I suggest to all of my colleagues, our national security. Simply stated, this legislation will make a college education more affordable for millions of students and their families. The fact is, college tuition today is exploding. Tuition at 4-year public colleges has grown by 35 percent in the last 5 years. Let me say in my State of Maryland, tuition cost has gone up 43 percent in the last 4 years. America cannot afford to shut people out of the access to college education if we're going to be successful in world markets in a flat world, as Tom Friedman refers to it. Too many students graduate with tremendous debt, and too many others simply don't go to college because they cannot afford it. To address this situation, this bill will increase the maximum Pell Grant scholarships by at least $500 over the next 5 years. That will not come close to what the Pell Grants initially, when they were adopted, replaced in tuition costs, about 70 percent. We're now down to 30 percent. When combined with other Pell scholarship increases proposed by Congress this year, the maximum Pell Grant will reach $4,900 in 2008, $5,200 in 2011, up from $4,050 in 2006. Notwithstanding, the President in 2000, in his campaign, said he was going to increase the Pell Grant very substantially. It doesn't happen. The bill also will cut interest in half on subsidized student loans over the next 5 years, and it will guarantee that borrowers will not have to pay more than 15 percent of their discretionary income to loan repayments. In addition, this bill seeks to ensure highly qualified teachers in every classroom, a critical need in our Nation, by providing up-front tuition assistance to qualified students who commit to teaching in public schools in high-poverty communities or high-need areas. That is important for our country's ability to compete and to develop every mind in America. There is not a child to waste in America. We know that. It encourages and rewards public service by providing loan forgiveness for first responders, law enforcement officers, firefighters, nurses and others. And it encourages landmark new investment, $500 million guaranteed over 5 years, for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribally controlled, native or predominantly black institutions. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is a very significant and important step toward realizing the goal of making college affordable for every qualified student. I want to congratulate Chairman Miller once more and the staff and all of the members of the committee and Mr. McKeon for the positive role, whatever position one might take for or against, the positive role that the committee has played. It is a historic investment in our people and our Nation. I urge every Member to strongly support this legislation.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. I will yield to the gentleman.

Mr. HOYER. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, at this time, however, I would like to mention a matter. I would have liked to ask for a unanimous consent. I will not ask for that unanimous consent because it has not been agreed to. And under our rules, I therefore am constrained to ask for the unanimous consent. The Senate passed yesterday, by unanimous consent, without objection, obviously, by definition, the Transition Medical Assistance and Abstinence Education Program. That program is a program which provides for transitional medical assistance for those who transit from welfare to work. It's a very important program. It, unfortunately, expires on June 30. We will not be here on June 30. This could have been passed, and I would hope would have been passed by unanimous consent. Unfortunately, that has not occurred, and therefore I will not be offering, as I said, such request. I would say, however, that it will be our intention to offer this as soon as we return the first week that we're back. We believe this is very important to pass. And as a result, we will move it as quickly as we can. I thank the gentleman for yielding the time.

Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for yielding. First, I would like to congratulate Mr. Serrano. This is his first bill that he has brought to the floor and handled, and he has done it very well. I want to thank him. I also want to congratulate my good friend, Ralph Regula. I had the great honor of serving for 6 years under his chairmanship of the Labor Health Committee of which I had the honor of serving. He did an outstanding job, he's done a good job with this bell as well. I thank him for facilitating consideration of this bill.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I want to inform the House of what I perceive to be the schedule for the coming balance of the week. It is our intention to go until 1 o'clock tonight on debate only. We will roll votes. There will be no further votes. I've talked to the leadership on the other side. There will be no votes for the balance of the evening. It is my expectation, barring some unforeseen action in conferences, that we will conclude this bill tomorrow, hopefully, with the consideration of all Members, relatively early, in the late afternoon. And that would conclude the week's business if we don't have any conference reports. Now, I want to make it clear, should the unforeseen happen in the conference, there are a couple of conferences pending, if they move, that would change. I don't expect that to be the case, but I want everybody to understand that we do have some conferences that may go forward. I doubt that they would be in shape to come here, but if they did, that would change. But presently, Mr. Speaker, I believe the schedule would be we go until 1 o'clock, debate amendments, offer amendments. Those amendments that called for votes would be rolled until tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. We would vote on those. And then we would complete the bill and be complete for the week and take leave for the July work period at that point in time.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. How did it get to be $8.8 trillion? When you took over, it was only at $5 trillion. How in heaven's name over the last 6 years could you possibly be so irresponsible to take it from $5.5 trillion to $8.8 trillion? I am amazed, shocked, chagrined, and saddened.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend, Jack Valenti--a man whose prowess as a lobbyist for the movie industry was outshined only by the passion he brought to his work and the steadfast love he had for our country. Jack was a trusted Presidential advisor, a war hero, an author and a pioneer in the American industry. As President of the Motion Picture Association of America, Jack was one of the most hardworking and dedicated advocates you would find anywhere on Capitol Hill. When he spoke, people listened--and by inventing the movie industry's rating system, he demonstrated just how vital America's business community can be in providing for the common good. Jack was a consummate professional, a good friend, and someone that I will never forget. My deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends as we mark his passing and commemorate a life that meant so much to people all across this great land.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, today on the 22nd anniversary of its founding, I rise to offer legislation that would grant the Korean War Veterans Association a Federal Charter, enabling the Association to expand its mission and further its charitable and benevolent causes. The Association, comprised exclusively of Korean War veterans, has over 25,000 members and is one of the few such organizations of its size without a Federal Charter. Being awarded such a charter will afford the Korean War Veterans Association the same status as other major veterans' organizations and allow it to participate as part of select committees with other congressionally chartered veterans and military groups. A Federal Charter--at no cost to the government--will also accelerate the Association's accreditation with the Department of Veterans Affairs, enabling its members to assist in processing veterans' claims. More than 50 years have passed since the war-weary men and women who served in Korea returned home. Half a century later, history has revealed that the sacrifices made by these brave soldiers stemmed the expansion of communism and effectively contributed to a more peaceful world. Granting this Federal Charter is a small expression of our appreciation for the extraordinary courage and sacrifice of our forces in Korea. This bipartisan legislation is an opportunity to express our gratitude and respect for our military, past and present, and to give Korean War veterans the long-awaited recognition they deserve to ensure that the ``forgotten war'' is forgotten no more.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1281 to make it unlawful for anyone to disseminate false election-related information about an election in order to prevent another person from exercising the right to vote. I commend Chairman Conyers and Representative Emanuel for their leadership in bringing this critical bill to the floor. The pernicious practices that H.R. 1281 would combat are not just academic to me. During the Maryland governor's race last year, there were numerous and substantiated reports of political operatives distributing false campaign materials on Election Day to confuse voters about the candidates, including endorsements they had allegedly received. In recent elections in Maryland, including the 2006 elections, operatives have also spread false information about the time, place or manner of voting or qualifications for, or restrictions on, voting, or the political affiliations of candidates. These grotesque practices are a direct assault on the most fundamental right of Americans: the right to vote and have that vote counted. Over the past 40 years, tremendous progress has been made removing the most conspicuous obstacles and impediments to voting in order to guarantee that all Americans, regardless of their race or color, can vote. Unfortunately, there exists in our Nation a small but committed group of individuals who will sink to any low if they believe it will produce a victory. H.R. 1281 goes after these people, who are a disease on our democratic system. I am hopeful that the House will overwhelming pass H.R. 1281 and send the message that deceptive campaign practices are un-American and anti- democratic.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the business in order under the Calendar Wednesday rule be dispensed with on Wednesday next.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. July is the expectation.

Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding. On Monday the House will meet at 12:30 p.m. for morning hour business and at 2 p.m. for legislative business, with votes rolled until 6 p.m. I want to reiterate that, as we did the other day. It will be 6 p.m. I would hope that the offices that are covering the floor, that they remind their Members 6 p.m. on Monday will be the votes. The congressional baseball game is at 7:30, and we want to give Members time to get to the game. It is a fun event and a collegial event, and we are going to accommodate that by accelerating by half an hour the votes on Monday at 6 p.m. We will consider several bills under suspension of the rules. A complete list of those bills will be announced later today. On Tuesday the House will meet at 9 a.m. for morning hour business and 10 a.m. for legislative business. On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10 a.m., and on Friday the House will meet at 9 a.m. We will consider the following fiscal year 2008 appropriations bills: Interior and Environment; Financial Services. I will say to my friends that those two bills will be considered, and we will obviously, consistent, hopefully, with our agreement, try to enter into unanimous consent agreements in terms of the amendments and the timing of those amendments. And we will see how the balance of the schedule goes Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding. The answer to that is yes. Again, we are going to complete those two bills at least. There may be some other legislative business. We don't know whether there will be conference reports. As you know, there is a conference on the 9/11 bill and some other conference reports on other items that may come forward. But the answer to your question, I think, is essentially yes. If we can complete the work that we have before us prior to Friday, there may not be a need to meet on Friday.

Mr. HOYER. Lobbying disclosure is the other.

Mr. HOYER. I really don't. But because I don't have a report, my speculation is that there is not anticipation that those conferences will be completed in time to consider conference reports next week. We don't have any report on that. I am looking at the person who knows so much on my staff, Mr. Cogorno, to make sure that I am making a correct representation, but that is accurate.

Mr. HOYER. I don't know that it will be specific, but certainly it is our hope and belief that it will be the month of July.

Mr. HOYER. That decision has not been made, but my thought would be it would come up in close proximity, whether before, just after, but it would be considered in very close time frame to the consideration of the other pieces of the energy legislation.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. It was my understanding you indicated this is the initiative of Speaker Hastert; am I accurate?

Mr. HOYER. Would the gentlelady yield?

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I want to pay my respects, and I know the respects of all others in this House, to the nine Charleston, South Carolina, firefighters who lost their lives this week while fearlessly and courageously discharging their duties, and offer my condolences to the families and friends who lost loved ones in this great tragedy: Captain Billy Hutchinson, Captain Mike Benke, Captain Louis Mulkey, engineer Mark Kelsey, assistant engineer Brad Beaity, assistant engineer Michael French, firefighter James Drayton, firefighter Brandon Thomas and firefighter Melven Champaign. They made a commitment to one of our Nation's highest callings, a calling to service in the face of great danger, and a call to honor a tradition of heroes. These fallen firefighters, Mr. Speaker, represented more than 100 years of service to the people they swore an oath to protect. And the dedication with which they lived their lives is something our Nation will not soon forget. John Kennedy once said: ``The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment, but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy. A man does what he must, in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures, and that is the basis of all morality,'' Kennedy concluded. In their final moment, Mr. Speaker, these nine men taught us what true morality is really all about, a love and heartfelt concern for one's neighbors that provides the strength to rush into the breach while others are rushing from it, and a sense of responsibility that will not allow a man to stand idly at times when his help is most needed. Today, Mr. Speaker, the thoughts and prayers of a grateful Nation are with the families and friends of these nine courageous men, firefighters, heroes. May their legacy of valor, gallantry, and service be something that lives on in our country forever.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 12:30 p.m. on Monday next for morning-hour debate.