Buck McKeon

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlelady from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx).

Mr. McKEON. I am happy to yield at this time to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Price), a member of the committee, such time as he may consume.

Mr. McKEON. Will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. McKEON. How much time do we have left?

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve my time.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the Republican time to speak on the amendment.

Mr. McKEON. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I think that we have heard in this debate today, 70 percent, 77 percent, over and over and over and over. And when we had a hearing last year, we had a lot of different figures that were given. It seems to me that it is important to have an outside source look at this, and I think the Secretary of Labor should do this study so that we don't do more harm than good. I think this is a good amendment. I thank the gentleman for offering it, and I urge support of the amendment.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the Republican time in opposition.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to yield at this time to my good friend from across the aisle, a former member of the committee, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), 1 minute. (Mr. FATTAH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. The Higher Education Opportunity Act is truly a bipartisan achievement, reflecting major priorities of both parties, as you can see from the debate. In recognition of that fact, I would like to take just a moment to touch on some of the reforms that Members on our side of the aisle were able to secure in this bill. This bill includes meaningful steps to address the college cost crisis. I have been fighting this battle for years, and the steps in this bill are a victory for students and their families. We have ensured that this bill increases accountability through the power of sunshine and transparency. H.R. 4137 will put quality information in the hands of students and parents to help them make more informed decisions when choosing their path for obtaining a higher education. This conference report protects student privacy by prohibiting the development of a Federal unit record system. Republicans believe students should not be forced to relinquish their privacy just because they wish to pursue post-secondary education. This bill includes numerous reforms to strengthen Pell Grants for low-income students. The bill now prohibits Pell Grants from being provided to sex offenders that remain involuntarily confined by closing a loophole that allowed these individuals, deemed so dangerous that they cannot be released after completing their incarceration, to receive taxpayer-funded Pell Grants to pursue higher education. The bill also includes a sensible funding limitation to protect taxpayers and ensure students are making progress toward completing their degrees. This conference report also includes a proposal to make transfer of credit policies public so students can plan ahead and avoid wasting time and money. It encourages States to develop and improve articulation agreements to make credit transfer easier among institutions within a State and across State lines. Republicans have worked with our colleagues on the other side of the aisle for years to make it easier to apply for financial aid. Thanks to that effort, this legislation will create a shorter EZ-FAFSA form and make financial aid information available to students earlier in the college planning process. Several committee members championed new efforts to ensure our higher education system can help meet our growing international competitive challenges. Specifically, the bill includes provisions to help increase the number of math, science, and foreign language teachers and professionals. Republicans believe students should not be discriminated against on college campuses because of their political or ideological views, and that's why we fought to ensure the college conference would include an Academic Bill of Rights. The bill also protects local control and prevents Federal meddling in curricula in programs under the Higher Education Act, including teacher training programs and within academic competitiveness grants. Finally, in a time of war, we all recognize that our higher education system must be flexible enough to meet the unique needs of student- soldiers. The bill includes numerous proposals to improve higher education opportunities for members of the Armed Forces, including changes to allow greater participation in TRIO college access programs and improvements to the way financial aid is calculated for military personnel. The bill also creates a Web site to make it easier for veterans and members of the military to find information on financial aid opportunities available to them, and it requires States to provide in- state tuition rates to members of the military, their spouses, and their dependent children. These are just a few of the many reforms that were important to members of the committee during this process. I want to thank Chairman Miller again for working with me to ensure this bill is truly bipartisan, and I urge all of my colleagues to join me in voting yes on this bill that contains so many important provisions. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. I am happy to yield now to the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), subcommittee ranking member on the committee and champion of reducing college costs, 2 minutes.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield now to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder), a member of the committee, for 3 minutes.

Mr. McKEON. Might I inquire how much time both sides have.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to yield now to the gentlelady from Washington, a member of the committee, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, 5 minutes.

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, could I inquire how much time we have left.

Mr. McKEON. I yield now to the gentleman from Wisconsin, our senior member on the committee, Mr. Petri, 2 minutes.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I submit the following: Requesting Member: Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon. Bill Number: H.R. 6599--The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2009. Account: Military Construction (Milcon), Air Force. Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Edwards Air Force Base. Address of Requesting Entity: Edwards AFB, CA 93524. Description of Request: At my request, a project appropriation of $6,000,000 is included in the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill to complete construction of a main base operations ramp replacement at Edwards Air Force Base. The Air Force has assessed that the 50-year-old main runway is rapidly deteriorating and is projected to fail in the very near term impacting base operations and flight testing. The Air Force has also determined that temporary relocation of base operations is infeasible and that any delay in funding could result in costs to the government of approximately $4,000,000.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this legislation, which fails to open up any new lands anywhere to American energy exploration and production. Worse still, this bill imposes restrictive labor requirements including Project Labor Agreements, which eliminate open competition and increase the cost of projects. A PLA is a labor agreement that requires all contractors working on a site to agree to certain working conditions. If a non-union company is interested in work on a construction site covered by a PLA, these companies will very likely be forced to hire union labor, despite their already having a competent workforce in place. Why? Well, supporters of these restrictive requirements claim that they are necessary to protect workers' wages. So here we are, with another ``no new American-made energy'' bill, but now the majority is claiming to be protecting workers' wages. Forgive me, but it's hard to take this bill seriously. One of the biggest drains on workers' wages is the high price at the pump. Today, the price of a gallon of regular unleaded stands at $4.11. A gallon of diesel costs $4.85. Low-income workers are disproportionately harmed by high energy costs. If this bill was serious about protecting workers' wages, it would open new areas for exploration, it would promote the development of new sources of American-made energy. Instead, we're seeing the same tired, old rhetoric from the other side. We're seeing the same stubborn refusal to embrace a comprehensive energy agenda that includes the development of new American-made energy sources, the expansion of alternative fuels, and the promotion of conservation. This bill does nothing to offer workers the relief they need, and I strongly oppose its passage.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. There are so many individuals who deserve credit for bringing us to this point today. I want to recognize Chairman Miller, the leaders of the Judiciary, Transportation and Infrastructure, Energy and Commerce Committees, and all of our staffs on all of those committees on both sides of the aisle and the membership of the leadership on both sides of the aisle, and again especially Leader Hoyer and Mr. Sensenbrenner for this open, inclusive process. The bill is better for it. I also want to recognize the stakeholders who came to the negotiating table and helped us to reach consensus. It's often said that true compromise leaves no one with exactly what they wanted. I expect that is the case today. There are those who fear we have expanded the reach of the ADA too far, and there are others who would have preferred us to go further. But on the whole, we have found common ground that will allow us to extend strong, meaningful protection to individuals with disabilities without dramatically expanding the law, increasing its burdens, or diluting its effectiveness. I urge passage of the ADA Amendments Act. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I am happy to yield at this time to the Republican whip, who was so important in getting this bill here to the floor, such time as he may consume, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt).

Mr. McKEON. We have one more. They're not here yet. I reserve my time.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, might I inquire of the time that we each have remaining.

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I am happy to yield now to the gentleman from Delaware, ranking member of the K-12 Education Subcommittee, such time as he may consume, Mr. Castle.

Mr. McKEON

Mr. McKEON. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of S. 3180, a bill to temporarily extend the Higher Education Act of 1965. This bill will provide a clean extension of the Higher Education Act for 1 more month as we continue to work with our Senate colleagues to hammer out a conference agreement. The underlying reauthorization of the Higher Education Act is long overdue. Since 2003 Congress has passed twelve extensions, two reconciliation bills, an emergency student loan bill, and the House has passed two reauthorization bills. In the reauthorization bill passed by this Congress, we strengthened Pell Grants, improved the Perkins Loan program, and expanded access to college for millions of American students. The reauthorization bills also included important reforms that will provide more transparency to American families on the cost of college. A recent report found that since 1983, the cost of keeping colleges running has outpaced the consumer price index by 48 percent. The average total for tuition fees, room and board, for an in-State student at a public 4-year college is $13,589. It jumps to $32,307 for a student attending a private 4-year college. Tuition and fees have increased by an average of 4.4 percent per year over the past decade, and that's after adjusting for inflation. Students and families need to be able to plan for these increases, and that's exactly what we are proposing, through greater sunshine and transparency. We need to complete the reauthorization process to make those proposals a reality. Madam Speaker, this is a clean extension bill that will allow the current programs of the Higher Education Act to continue past their current June 30, 2008, expiration date until July 31, 2008. Programs like Pell Grants and Perkins Loans are the passports out of poverty for millions of American students. We must complete our work on the conference agreement prior to the August recess. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on S. 3180. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.