Doris Matsui

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall). (Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from South Dakota (Ms. Herseth).

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Boren).

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Folsom Dam, a one million acre-foot multiple-purpose reservoir near Sacramento, California, that was completed 50 years ago this month, in May 1956. Severe storms have hit the greater Sacramento metropolitan region a number of times in the last 50 years and without the Folsom Dam, Sacramento would undoubtedly have flooded and caused millions of dollars of damage to the region. As local, State, and Federal officials gather to ether to celebrate this significant achievement, I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in commemorating the 50th anniversary of the completion of the Folsom Dam. Folsom Dam was initially authorized as a 355,000 acre-foot flood control unit, but in 1949 it was reauthorized as a 1,000,000 acre-foot multiple-use facility. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began building the dam in October 1948 and officially completed construction in May 1956. Even before the facility was completed, Folsom Dam was already storing water and was finished just in time to contain flows from a winter storm that filled the dam in a week. This first test of Folsom Dam proved that it would be able to successfully contain flows from severe storms and thereby prevent major flooding in Sacramento. Each year since 1956, Folsom Dam has prevented potential flooding from winter storms and spring snow melt. After the dam's completion, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers transferred Folsom Dam to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for coordinated operation as an integral part of the Central Valley Project. Although its primary purpose is flood control, Folsom Dam stores water for irrigation and urban use as well as for electrical power generation, salinity control in the Bay-Delta, ecosystem restoration, and recreation. Directly below the dam is the Folsom Power Plant consisting of three generators that produce almost 200,000 kilowatts of clean, renewable electricity to meet the need of nearly 10 percent of the power used in Sacramento each year. The largest demand for water stored at Folsom Lake has been from California's vast agricultural needs. The crops grown from water stored at Folsom include beans, almonds, apricots, asparagus, peaches, tomatoes, walnuts, and dozens of the other fruits and vegetables that drive the State's economy. Moreover, Folsom Lake State Recreation Area ranks as the most popular lake in the California State Parks and Recreation system with more than 1 million visitors annually. At the lake, visitors can enjoy themselves with such activities as boating, fishing, hiking, cycling, running, camping, and picnicking. For 50 years Folsom Dam has provided the residents of Sacramento with increased flood protection, recreation, water storage, and power. With proposed modifications to Folsom Dam in the pipeline, Californians will enjoy even greater flood protection in the years to come. Mr. Speaker, as residents of Sacramento gather to commemorate this significant milestone, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to the 50th anniversary of Folsom Dam.

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in tribute to a distinguished woman who has tirelessly served the Sacramento area for many years. Jan Stohr will soon be retiring from the Nonprofit Resource Center as its Executive Director. As her colleagues, friends and family gather to celebrate her retirement, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in saluting this outstanding citizen of Sacramento. When she steps down, Jan will leave behind a long list of accomplishments and a career devoted to helping others. She has been the driving force behind the creation of multiple Sacramento based nonprofits that continue to thrive decades after their founding. In 1976, as a member of the Junior League, she initiated the establishment of the Child Abuse Prevention Council of Sacramento, CAPC, and a few years later was instrumental in the development of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation. Due to the successful efforts and outreach of CAPC, thousands of children have been spared from being victims of abuse; and since its founding, the Sacramento Region Community Foundation has given out 44 million dollars in grants. The cornerstone of Jan's work in Sacramento, however, has been her longtime commitment to the Nonprofit Resource Center. The Center began in 1988 with Jan's help and has since blossomed into the place where nonprofits can turn to for assistance in writing grant proposals, securing funds and developing solid management practices. She has served as the Center's Executive Director since its establishment in 1988. Located in downtown Sacramento, the center now assists nonprofits throughout northern California. Additionally, Jan has given her time by serving on the board of directors for numerous non-profits in the Sacramento area, including the Community Services Planning Council, the United Way, and the Mountain Valley Chapter of the American Leadership Forum. She also seen by many as a leader in the nonprofit field and has been active with the California Association of Non profits' Nonprofit Policy Council, UC Davis's Community Development Graduate Group and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Through her work, Jan has been awarded with numerous recognitions, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals' Outstanding Fundraising Executive Award and the United Way's Distinguished Service Award. Many more awards and accolades will certainly follow as she transitions into retirement. Mr. Speaker, as Jan Stohr enters retirement, I am truly honored to pay tribute to one of my dear friends and one of Sacramento's most honorable citizens. I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in wishing Jan and her husband Phil continued success and happiness in all of their future endeavors.

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to close. Mr. Speaker, the bipartisan collaboration between Chairman Hunter and Ranking Member Skelton has yielded a thoughtful, balanced defense authorization bill that seeks to meet our current and future defense needs. They should be commended for their hard work. However, there are still areas within this bill that can be improved. As we move to floor consideration, we have an opportunity to make this bipartisan bill even better. Still pending before the Rules Committee are more than 90 amendments covering a host of critical issues. This includes Ranking Member Skelton's proposal on TRICARE prescription drug copays and Mr. Israel's correction to the guidelines for military chaplains. Other amendments not yet allowed on the floor concern our Nation's Iraq policy, abuses of military contracting, and boosts to our critical nonproliferation initiatives. It is my hope that when the Rules Committee reports out the second and final rule today these amendments will be made in order. Allowing these amendments to be debated on the floor will continue the committee's bipartisan precedent, something this body would benefit from, as well as show the issues addressed in this legislation, so critical to our Nation's well-being, the respect they deserve. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlemen from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin). (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder).

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green).

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, the resolution we are now considering allows for general debate of the fiscal year 2007 defense authorization bill and also makes in order a limited number of amendments. The annual defense authorization is one of the most critical bills Congress considers. It serves two roles. First, for national security, it is a blueprint to ensure our military has the resources and tools to meet any threat from abroad. Second, and just as important, this bill provides for the men and women standing on the front lines of our Nation's defense. These men and women work tirelessly to protect this country. It gives me great pride to support the most professional and dedicated military in the world. For all that we ask of them, these individuals, be they members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Reserves or National Guard, ask very little of us in return. What they ask is that we provide the equipment they need to get the job done, provide for them and provide for their family. So, Mr. Speaker, it is with these two key points in mind, our national security and our duty to our troops, that many of us were dismayed by several of the President's proposals for the Defense Department. Our National Guard is an important source of strength for this country, both overseas and here at home. Whether they are risking their lives in combat or overseas or bringing order to a stressful situation after a natural disaster, it is clear that our National Guard is worthy of our strong support. The twin challenges we faced this year with Iraq and Hurricane Katrina could not have made this point more clearly. I would like to thank the committee for preserving our Guard strength despite the President's recommendation to Congress to reduce the strength of the Army and National Guard by 17,100 and the Air Guard by 5,000. From California alone, about 9,100 of our National Guard soldiers have been called to active duty. Almost 3,800 are still deployed, and another 2,300 are expected to be called up. Among those who recently returned after an 18-month tour are 350 soldiers from the 1-184 and 174 members of the 2668th Transportation Company. Both groups are from my hometown of Sacramento. Weakening the Guard in this manner only serves to weaken our security. The strains of our current force strengths are already evident: In Iraq, too many Guard and Reserve have borne a heavy burden, some with multiple tours of duty. At home, we must have a strong responsive Guard if we are to be prepared for future natural disasters. Louisiana, facing one of the Nation's worst natural disasters, found its response efforts further hamstrung when one-third of its National Guard was serving in Iraq. I also appreciate the committee's decision to include $300 million for equipment for the National Guard. This is a strong acknowledgment of the very real impact the war in Iraq is having on the Guard, and it is a strong signal that to be prepared in the future current preparedness is essential. At a time when we are relying so heavily on our Armed Forces, there was also an attempt to urge Congress to allow an increase in premiums and fees for the military's health care plan TRICARE. Thankfully, this bill contains no such ideas, and I applaud the committee's decision to work in a bipartisan fashion to meet the needs of our troops. However, I am deeply concerned about one recommendation made that the committee did accept. This proposal would result in increases in TRICARE prescription drug copays. If passed without further amendment, this legislation would double copays for generic drugs, and raises the costs of name-brand drugs 75 percent. This potential increase in copays could be devastating to a young family. It is not enough to exempt mail orders from this hike. Our troops should have a guarantee that as they are serving on the front lines, their families back home are not presented with impossible choices because of financial hardship. I mentioned the 2668th Transportation Company having recently returned from Iraq. During their deployment, I was privileged to sit down with the family members of these soldiers. They conveyed to me that for their family, the last thing the spouse serving overseas should be worrying about is whether their family is provided for. The esteemed ranking member on the committee, Mr. Skelton, proposed an amendment in committee which would have blocked these large copay increases. Unfortunately, it was narrowly defeated, by just two votes. I hope that the Rules Committee allows the Skelton amendment as part of a second rule on the floor tomorrow. Such an important change should be debated in the most open manner possible on the House floor. I would also like to highlight an additional Democratic amendment that has not yet been made in order from Mr. Israel. Today's military manual currently includes complete guidelines for the role of military chaplains, who play a critical role in the spiritual lives and health of our troops. Despite this, the underlying bill usurps that local control with language that the rear admiral in charge of Navy chaplains says will ``degrade military chaplains use and effectiveness to the crew and commanding officer.'' Mr. Speaker, I will include the letter from the Department of Navy for the Record. If the language cannot be removed from the bill, the House should at least allow debate on Mr. Israel's amendment. The language should be corrected so that it more closely mirrors current military manuals. I hope this amendment is made in order before we finish the bill. As I conclude, I would like to commend the committee for their decision to authorize funds for the costs of the first 6 months of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in fiscal year 2007. This provision will allow Congress to resume its important oversight responsibility. Its inclusion is also an opportunity for this institution to discuss one of the largest issues facing this Nation, the war in Iraq. While we may all not agree, it is our duty as Members of Congress to discuss and debate our Iraq policy, as I know Ranking Member Skelton has urged. I hope we may have more opportunity soon. With that in mind, this bill is an important first step. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record the letter from Rear Admiral Iasiello, Chief of Navy Chaplains. Department of the Navy, Washington, DC, May 9, 2006. Hon. Steve Israel, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Israel: In response to your inquiry regarding the Department of the Navy's position on Section 590 of H.R. 5122, the Department has concerns with the proposed language. It is the Department's position that the proposed section will lead to confusion, compromise, and loss of credibility of religious ministry and chaplains services for the men and women of the sea services. The chaplain's role in the Navy is as naval officer, counselor and religious advisor. The chaplain is assigned to commands to help commanding officers administer their religious ministries program. The chaplain is a representative of his or her faith group and provides or facilitates for the religious needs of all members of the command. For this reason, it is essential that the chaplain possess the trust and respect of all the crew, not simply the members of his or her own faith group. The proposed language will alter this historic relationship and responsibility of chaplain's to their commanding officer and their crew. Primarily I have three concerns with the proposed language: The language ignores and negates the primary duties of the chaplain to support the religious needs of the entire crew and to be a faithful representative of the chaplains endorsing faith group. Current practice carefully balances establishment of religion with free exercise of the chaplain and crew's religion, by providing almost unlimited opportunity for the chaplain to pray according to his conscience and faith and providing safeguards where he or she cannot be forced to violate their conscience in all matters regarding religious ministry. It also ensures a commanding officer can balance religious needs and provide a non- coercive, non-denominational spiritual presence during command functions. The proposed wording will compromise religious ministry for Sailors and Marines. By allowing chaplains to lead prayers in nearly all situations, potentially independent of the endorsing faith group and legitimate concerns of the command and crew, chaplains will be independent agents operating outside the military command structure. Commanders, who must ensure good order and discipline in their commands, will have no choice but to limit chaplain access to the crew to preserve such good order, discipline and morale. Commanders will have no choice but to limit chaplain access to the crew in order to ensure good order and discipline. The proposed section will also lead to a loss of credibility for religious ministry and chaplains services to all military members. The U.S. military has always recognized that those given the high privilege of serving as chaplain do so with an obligation to meet the needs of all members of the command regardless of religious preference. It has made chaplains part of the command structure with recognized credibility. The proposed language opens opportunity to drive wedges into the Chaplain Corps due to the emphasis it puts on each chaplain doing that which is right in his or her own eyes. It also offers chaplains a role outside of the command structure, by offering him or her prerogative outside what the command needs for good order, discipline and morale. This proposed legislation will, in the end, marginalize chaplains and degrade their use and effectiveness to the crew and the commanding officer. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this important issue and I appreciate the support you provide the fine men and women of the Department of the Navy. Sincerely, L.V. Iasiello, Rear Admiral, CRC, U.S. Navy Chief of Navy Chaplains. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma for yielding me this time, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Ms. MATSUI asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, this month we continue a nearly three decade tradition of Asian Pacific American Heritage. Without the sacrifices and contributions that have been made by Asian Americans, the United States would not be the world leader that it is. During this special month we have the opportunity to acknowledge and pay tribute to the contributions of the 15-million strong Asian Pacific American community--from I. M. Pei, Maya Lin, and astronaut Ellison Onizuka, to Amy Tan, Yo Yo Ma, and General Eric Shinseki. Our Nation would not be what it is today without their immeasurable input. Their unique contributions enhance the moral fabric and character of this great Nation. As we celebrate the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the whole of the Nation, we must rededicate our efforts to ensuring equality and opportunities so that all Americans have a chance to reach their full potential. Together, we can make the American dream a reality for all Americans.

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, the American people have lost faith in Congress--as seen in the dismal 30 percent approval ratings. It demonstrates that our fellow citizens believe Congress no longer keeps their interests at the forefront of its mind. Instead, they've learned that special interests get the first, and sometimes the only say, in this House. They read in the paper about how some Members pay coach fares, but fly in luxurious corporate jets. They've read reports about a Member who opened up defense contracts to the highest briber. And were only caught because a few, intrepid local reporters were better policemen than the gridlocked House Ethics Committee. Because they know their elected representatives are often forced to vote on legislation that hasn't been available long enough to read. What if, after someone signed papers on a new home, the bank inserted an extra page of regulations into the agreement? And the bank then claimed that the new homeowner's signature was proof they agreed to it? That person would be outraged, and justifiably so. But last December, during consideration of the fiscal year 2006 defense appropriations conference report, 40 pages of text were inserted into the agreement after conferees had signed it. This text gave inappropriate immunity to makers of avian flu vaccines. It was done, quite literally, in the middle of the night. Sadly, there was no outrage from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. It was business as usual under this House leadership. Yet I must report with deep regret that the bill before us does nothing to address these issues. At best, the Majority's proposal only papers over the deep divide between Republicans and most Americans on how Congress should conduct itself. In the Rules Committee, I offered an amendment to allow Members 24 hours to read legislation before a floor vote on it. It would seem like exactly the kind of approach that our constituents want. But, the Majority rejected in Committee mark-up in addition to blocking it from coming to the floor for debate. I also offered an amendment that would require a public vote by conferees on all conference agreements, Again, my amendment goes to the real abuses that our constituents are concerned about. But again, the Majority rejected it. It is perhaps the ultimate irony--and the highest level of hypocrisy--that the House is debating a bill intended to increase transparency under a restrictive rule. Democrats have consistently identified abuses of power in how this Congress conducts business. And now we see those same abuses being used to prevent true reform from even being debated in public. Mr. Speaker, the American people have reached their limit with the conduct of this House. Soon, they may take their ball and bat and go home. They'll tune us out forever. Click off C-SPAN. Walk away, disgusted by the very process that is supposed to represent them. We must enact real reform before its too late--reform that raises the bar on both lobbyists and Members. That is not this bill, and it cannot be this bill under the straightjacket laid down in this rule. I urge my colleagues to reject this rule, reject this bill and start over.

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to California's Asian Pacific State Employees Association as they celebrate their 31st anniversary and honor two of Sacramento's most outstanding citizens. Genevieve Shiroma will receive the President's Award for her distinguished career and advocacy in support the Asian Pacific Islander community and Raynor Tsuneyoshi will be honored with the Members Award for his dedication to APSEA and State employees. I ask all my colleagues to join me in saluting the Asian Pacific State Employees Association, as well as Ms. Shiroma and Mr. Tsuneyoshi for their accomplishments. The Asian Pacific State Employees Association, formerly known as the Asian State Employees Association, was founded in 1975 for the purpose of working toward achieving equal opportunity within the State work force through professional development and community empowerment. The Association's vision is one of Asian Pacific State employee serving, enhancing, and leading State government agencies and their community. Objectives adopted by the Association include advocating for Asian Pacific Islander State employee interests; providing an Asian Pacific network for its members and employers; advancing personal and professional development of its membership; consulting with members facing adverse action or other employment problems; working with the community to promote career opportunities, professionalism, cultural pride, self-esteem, and citizenship; and providing services and interchange with community, academic, and business groups. Benefits and services offered by the Association include employee development, networking, scholarship opportunities, communications, and celebration of Asian Pacific contributions. At present time, the Asian Pacific State Employees Association has over 1,000 members statewide and includes chapters in the Southern, Central Valley, and Bay Area. Officers frequently serve on legislative fact-finding committees, and provide testimony before the legislative committees regarding advocacy and affirmative action policies. I also would like to acknowledge and congratulate APSEA's special honorees. Through her work at the Agricultural Labor Relations Board and California Air Resources Board, Genevieve has constantly advocated for policies that benefit all Californians. In Sacramento, she continues to make her mark as a civic leader by working with numerous non-profits and currently serves as president of the Sacramento Metropolitan Utility District's Board of Directors. Ray Tsuneyoshi is the director of the California Department of Boating and Waterways and serves on the National Boating Safety Advisory Council. He is known by many as one who all State employees can turn to for assistance. Mr. Speaker, the Asian Pacific State Employees Association has evolved into a leading organization within the State, a dynamic force striving to improve the quality of life of its members and the general community. I am confident that Asian Pacific State Employees Association will continue to do great work and yield tremendous benefits to the Asian Pacific Islander State workers of California. I ask all my colleagues to join me in wishing the Asian Pacific State Employees Association continued success in the future.

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, the budget the House will debate tomorrow will keep us on the same irresponsible and unsustainable path that America has been traveling for the past 5 years. As a consequence of massive tax cuts, this budget continues to run dangerous fiscal deficits . . . while under-investing in programs vital to developing future generations of Americans. For instance, the President's budget freezes funding for Head Start. As a result 19,000 children will have to be cut from Head Start next year. When I was home in my district, I toured the Nedra Court & Whispering Pines Head Start programs. They offer comprehensive child development programs vital to women's economic well-being and the ability of their children to succeed in school. I understand we are in a tight fiscal situation and we need to be realistic. But we need to start making smarter spending decisions--like ensuring children succeed in school and that parents have the resources to support them. Yes, we need to be making tough choices, but not on the backs of women and future generations.

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the budget resolution. The impact this budget will have on families demonstrates how misguided it really is. Our Nation has had a long-standing commitment to investing in medical research. We all know someone, a friend or a relative, who has fought breast cancer. Each one is an inspiration as they exhibit a reservoir of strength and perseverance. This is an issue that is very close to me as members of my family have been diagnosed with the dreadful disease. When I am home in Sacramento, I make it a priority to meet with survivors. As each woman shares her personal battle with me, the one thing they all reiterate is how appreciative they are that research and technology exists to help them win their fight with cancer, and they ask me to express their appreciation to my colleagues for their continued support of the medical research programs that have driven the development of life-saving techniques and technology. One example is innovative advances that the UC Davis Cancer Center located in my district has made. Last year, its researchers discovered a new method to improve early detection of breast cancer. As that group of survivors has emphasized, early detection is essential to surviving breast cancer. Tragically, this budget underfunds critical medical research. As a result, dynamic institutions like the UC Davis Cancer Center will not have access to the same level of Federal resources as they did in last year's budget. What do you tell the children or the spouse of a woman who may have benefited from additional cancer research, but will not now because of this budget? The fact is this budget chooses tax cuts for the very, very, very wealthiest instead of investing in medical research. This is a choice that Congress is making. We need a budget that makes sense for America's families. I think about my 2\1/2\-year-old granddaughter, Anna. It is Congress' responsibility to invest the resources today so that Anna and her friends have at least the same opportunities that you and I have had. To accomplish this goal, we must devote long-term resources to health care, education, and scientific discovery. Yet with this budget, we are reducing our capability in these areas while continuing to run a massive deficit. So not only are we not investing in Anna and her friends, but we are passing our debt to them. Congress cannot continue to run this government in the same selfish, shortsighted manner that we have over the past 5 years. Congress risks breaking America's foundation of opportunity and prosperity and imperiling the quality of life for our children and our grandchildren. When we talk about the quality of life, that means your grandchildren and those of you who may hope for grandchildren. They may not have access to world-class education. It means that the Annas of our country may not benefit from the world's best health care system or be a part of the most innovative and productive economy. It means that citizens of the United States may look at foreign countries and see people who have better opportunities and better lives. I urge my colleagues to oppose this budget and vote in favor of Mr. Spratt's alternative.

Ms. MATSUI

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Ms. MATSUI asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, we are here this morning to continue debate on a bill that forms the backbone of the opportunities our Nation's students may have at our Nation's colleges and universities. We must get it right which is precisely why this House must reject the rule before us. As I reminded my colleagues yesterday, the House reauthorized the Higher Education Act in 1992 and in 1998 in a very different way than we have seen in the 109th Congress. Historically, any amendment to the Higher Education Act that was printed in the Congressional Record ahead of time could be offered on the floor. The broad consideration those rules provided yielded reauthorization measures with broad support in the House. Each of those years, the rules, the bills and the conference reports passed either by voice vote or by overwhelming margins. So my colleagues will forgive me when I place the historical record on reauthorization next to this year's bill and ask: What happened? Instead of a bipartisan bill, we see the Higher Education Act torn in two by the majority, solely so some of its provisions could be used to cut more than $12 billion from student aid partially to finance the majority's tax cuts. Instead of careful floor consideration of several different policy approaches, we saw 118 amendments submitted to the Committee on Rules but only 23 amendments were made in order. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a list of all of the amendments to H.R. 609 submitted to the Committee on Rules but not made in order under either of the two rules. Andrews (NJ)--No. 97--(Late) Requires institutes of higher education to request emergency contact information on enrollment forms. Andrews (NJ)--No. 98--(Late) Allows students, whose parents refuse to provide financial information on FAFSA forms, to receive unsubsidized loans. Andrews (NJ)--No. 99--(Late) Provides right of action for students to sue IREs for violations of privacy rights. Andrews (NJ)--No. 100--(Late) Provides that federal aid be given without regard to university aid, which could then be given on top. Andrews (NJ)--No. 101--(Late) Requires personal computers that are disposed of by IHEs be fully scrubbed of all personal information. Andrews (NJ)/Price (GA)--No. 105--(Late) Requires IHEs to distribute materials on meningitis to new students along with the other general disclosures they are required to provide. Andrews (NJ)--No. 106--(Late) Protects the award levels of institutions that report at least at 75% of their students come from families with incomes that are within 150% of the poverty line. Andrews (NJ)/Price (GA)--No. 117--(Late) Requires IHEs to distribute materials on meningitis to new students along with the other general disclosures they are required to provide. Berman (CA)/Bono (CA)/Goodlatte (VA)/Hoyer (MD)--No. 61-- Requires colleges and universities to report whether they are taking steps to prevent illegal downloading of copyrighted material on their campus information technology systems. Bishop (UT)--No. 32--(Withdrawn) Ensures that state and local education officials, as well as private schools and parents of home schooled students, retain control over secondary school curriculum for purposes of eligibility under the new Academic Competitiveness Pell Grants program. Potential control over this curriculum was improperly given in-part to the Secretary of Education by the portion of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 which created this program. Bishop (NY)--No. 34--Increases oversight on the administration of the ability to benefit test. Bishop (NY)--No. 36--Blocks any Department of Education funds from being used to recall Perkins loan funds. Bishop (NY)--No. 37--Extends the Tuition Deduction for Higher Education through 12/31/2011. Cole (OK)/Payne (NJ)--No. 2--(Withdrawn) Strikes Section 402(c) from the bill to eliminate the 10 percent set aside for novice TRIO applicants.' Davis (IL)/Owens (NY)/Pickering (MS)--No. 80--Includes predominantly black institutions into existing higher education efforts to strengthen the ability of minority- serving institutions to attract, retain, and graduate low- income students. Davis (IL)--No.81--Re-extends Pell eligibility to individuals in prison in an effort to increase successful transitions into the community and reduce recidivism. Davis (IL)--No.82--(Withdrawn) Revises the study on minority graduation rates that was included in H.R. 609 as reported by Committee to be consistent with recommendations made by the Department of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics. Davis (CA)--No. 14--Prevents contributions made by military service members to the Montgomery GI Bill (MGJB) program from causing any reductions to a veteran student's eligibility for federal student financial aid. Emanuel (IL)--No. 16--Provides grants to states and local education agencies seeking to create teacher preparation activities. In order to qualify, agencies must have a written agreement with a local college or university where the teaching residents will enroll and complete a Masters Degree in teaching; teaching residents will spend no less that 10 months in a classroom with an experienced mentor teacher; and teaching residents must sign a written agreement with the local education agency agreeing to teach in that district for a minimum of five years. Emanuel (IL)--No. 17--Instructs the Secretary of Education to reduce the number of questions on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form by 50 percent within 5 years. Emanuel (IL)--No. 18--Simplifies the application process for the neediest students with automatic qualification for the maximum aid awards through federal means tested programs (such as Free and Reduced Price School lunches). Raises the automatic zero income threshold to $25,000 (from $20,000) and adjusts the threshold annually according to the Consumer Price Index. Also eliminates certain nontaxable income data elements from the FAFSA form. Emanuel (IL)--No. 19--Restores the $12 billion to student aid programs that the Deficit Reduction Act cut. Engell (NY)--No. 88--(Late) Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that, in an effort to raise awareness about sexual assault, all colleges and universities should provide a training course to incoming students to educate them on sexual assault. Etheridge (NC)--No. 47--Adds Fayetteville State University to the list of schools eligible for funding under Title III B of HEA. Fattah (PA)--No. 107--(Late) Establishes a new and distinct Dual Emollment Section as an addendum to the current GEAR UP program. This section is essentially an additional programmatic element that would specifically target resources and services towards the promotion of dual enrollment among low income students participating in GEAR UP programs throughout the country. The language was drafted in a manner that adds a new section to GEAR UP, and attaches a separate appropriation for this section, $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2007 and such sums as may be necessary for each of the succeeding five years. In short, dual/concurrent enrollment is defined as the practice by which high school students may enroll in college courses while still enrolled in high school. Students receive college credits but are not required to apply for admission to the college in order to participate. Fattah (PA)--No. 108--(Late) Adjusts the minimum scholarship amount in which grantees are required by law to distribute in accordance with the requirements of the program from the maximum Federal Pell Grant to the minimum Federal Pell grant awarded. Fattah (PA)--No. 109--(Late) Creates legislative action to take precedence over current agency regulations which prevent new funds appropriated under new authorizing legislation to be used to provide services under old authorizing legislation. With this amendment, funds will be permitted for use with current GEAR UP students who have not yet graduated from high school. Gingrey (GA)--No. 104--(Withdrawn) Ensures economically eligible students enrolled in a full-time, university level, academically gifted program, but are of traditional high school age, qualify for Pell Grants. Students affected by the amendment are full time university students who reside on campus as a requirement of the gifted program. The students do not attend high school courses, nor will they return to a high school classroom as a student. Grijalva (AZ)--No. 58--Offers loan forgiveness for teachers who work in schools located on Native American reservations or in Indian Country who complete five years of service. Grijalva (AZ)--No. 59--Offers loan forgiveness for educators working at high poverty (Title I eligible) and large free-and-reduced lunch population Border Schools within the 100 mile region of the US-Mexico border who complete 5 years of service. Seeks to reduce the burden of student debt for Americans who dedicate their careers to service in areas of national need along the border. Grijalva (AZ)--No. 60--Offers loan forgiveness for teachers who work in rural schools located in low-income communities who complete five years of service. Holt (NJ)/Bishop (NY)--No. 33--Rebates students who lost Pell Grant eligibility due to changes in the state tax tables, and replaces the tax tables with the highest income protection allowance. Holt (NJ)--No. 50--Authorizes $15 million in grants to institutions of higher education to establish programs that encourage students to develop foreign language proficiency as well as science and technological knowledge. Eligible institutions will develop programs in which students take courses in science, math and technology taught in a foreign language. Funds will also support immersion programs for students to take science and math courses in a non-English speaking country. Holt (NJ)--No. 51--Creates the opportunity for school systems to complete a Needs Assessment in science, mathematics, and foreign languages to guide teacher professional development and classroom improvement. The Needs Assessment will include as many education stakeholders as possible, including teachers, administrators, parents, school boards, businesses, institutions of higher education, professional associations, and others as determined by the community. The purpose of the Needs Assessment is to properly direct funds and energy to necessary and ambitious teacher professional development and classroom improvement. Holt (NJ)--No. 52--Creates year-round professional development for mathematics, science, vocational education, and technical course teachers inspired by reports like the NAS' ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm'' and the Glenn Commission's ``Before Its Too Late''. The process begins with a two week summer institute at an institution of higher education targeted to improve content knowledge of, grade level teaching of, and the use of technology in the disciplines in which they teach. The professional development continues with meetings to discuss new scientific, industrial, and academic research and how to incorporate it into classroom practice. Additionally, an online community is created to further foster a collaborative learning community amongst teachers that exceeds the limits of a once a month gathering. Hooley (OR)--No. 46--Creates a Technology Education State Stimulus Scholarship Program, that will allow the Secretary of Education to award grants to States to provide supplementary scholarships to students for study at the postsecondary level in science, math, engineering, or a related field. Inslee (WA)--No. 25--Seeks to retain Head Start and Early Head Start teachers by increasing the level of discretionary loan forgiveness from $5,000 to $17,500 (the level for math and science teachers). Seeks to address the unfunded mandate passed in School Readiness Act (H.R. 2123) requiring 50 percent of Head Start and Early Head Start teachers to obtain a bachelor's degree in early education by 2011. Inslee (WA)/Wu (OR)--No. 26--Instructs the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance (ACSFA) to assess the increasing cost of college textbooks and the effect on access to higher education, and to recommend strategies for reducing the costs. Currently, ACSFA operates within the Department of Education to advise and counsel Congress and the secretary of education on student financial policy, focusing only on financial aid. Allows the ACSFA to consider total costs, including textbooks, that may affect overall costs and access to postsecondary education. Israel (NY)--No. 66--Requires the Department of Education to study and report on methods of encouraging centers of higher education, and their students, to study topics and regions important to our nation's national security, such as Islamic studies and China studies. Israel (NY)--No. 67--Directs the Secretary of Education to match, on a 1:1 basis, any funding set aside by National Security Education Trust Fund (NSETF) for the National Security Education Program, thereby doubling the funding of this program. Israel (NY)--No. 68--Directs the Secretary of Education to make grants to eligible members of the Armed Services to pay tuition and other authorized fees to an educational institution in which the service member is enrolled. The funds made available for these grants shall match, on a 1:1 basis, funding set aside by the Secretaries of the military departments. Israel (NY)--No. 20--(Withdrawn) Requires the Department of Education to study and report on methods of encouraging centers of higher education, and their students, to study topics and regions important to our nation's national security, such as Islamic studies and China studies. Jackson-Lee (TX)--No. 73--Expresses the Sense of Congress encouraging publishers, professors, and universities to ensure accessibility of braille textbooks for blind or vision-impaired students. Jackson-Lee (TX)--No. 74--Commissions a study of students in higher education with learning disabilities. Jackson-Lee (TX)--No. 55--Increases the maximum Pell grant from $6,000 to $7,350. Jefferson (LA)--No. 38--Seeks to provide an additional semester of Pell Grant eligibility to college students who (1) attended school in an ``area affected by the Gulf hurricane disaster''; (2) were dependents whose parents lived and were employed in the area; or (3) whose education was interrupted by the disaster. Also directs the Secretary of Education to increase the annual loan limits by $3,500 for affected students; eligible students may elect to apply the loan increase to either the 2005-2006 or 2006-2007 school years. Jefferson (LA)--No. 110--(Late) Establishes a low-cost relief loan program to make available low-cost, long-term, guaranteed loans to eligible institutions of higher education for expenses relating to the losses incurred during and after the gulf coast hurricane disasters including: construction and rehabilitation, faculty salaries and benefits and to supplement the institution's operations. The loan should be repayable over 50 years and the Secretary will determine the loan amount. Johnson, Eddie Bernice (TX)--No. 64--Expands anti- discrimination measures to preclude institutions of higher education from using Federal financial assistance to perform any study or fulfill any contract that prohibits persons of a particular color, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or national origin from performing that study or executing that contract. Institutions are not prevented from conducting objective studies pertaining to discrimination or including the subject of discrimination' in its curriculum. Johnson, Eddie Bernice (TX)--No. 65--Expands Pell grant eligibility to children who lost a parent or guardian as a result of the conflicts in Iraq or Afghanistan. These children will be eligible for the maximum amount of Pell grant assistance. Johnson, Eddie Bernice (TX)--No. 62--Changes eligibility standards for Academic Competitiveness Grants by requiring recipients to also be Pell recipients, as opposed to the current requirement of Pell eligible. Academic Competitiveness Grants are not to exceed that of a student's Pell grant, with first year awards adjusted from $750 to $1,000, and second year awards adjusted from $1,300 to $1,050. Academic Competitiveness Grant recipients will be given top priority for SMART Grants. Johnson, Eddie Bernice (TX)--No. 63--Expands Pell grant eligibility to children who lost a parent or guardian as a result of Hurricanes Katrina or Rita. These children would be eligible for the maximum amount of Pell grant assistance. Kind (WI)/Van Hollen (MD)--No. 30--Reinstates the eligibility of undergraduates in Section 602(b), Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships, for advanced level training in foreign language, world area, and other international studies. It also clarifies that undergraduates may use the fellowships while studying abroad. Kind (WI)/Holt (NJ)--No. 31--Provides institutions of higher education with grants to institute creative and innovative ways of encouraging students to study and enter into careers focused on math, science, engineering, and technology. Lantos (CA)--No. 24--Makes a technical correction to the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program to clarify Congressional intent that a Masters Degree level institution or program is eligible to be the lead recipient of a grant under the GAANN program. Lee (CA)--No. 15--Makes school counselors, school social workers and school psychologists eligible for student loan forgiveness program and identifies them as an ``in need'' profession in our elementary and secondary schools. Lewis (KY)--No. 49--(Withdrawn) Strikes a provision from the legislation to allow states to become accreditors of independent colleges and universities. Regional accrediting entities now assure that colleges and universities are meeting standards. Prohibits state intervention into private and independent colleges and universities. McCarthy (NY)--No. 21--Requires teacher preparation programs to publicly report on the number and type of teachers they are preparing. McCarthy (NY)/Andrews (NJ)--No. 22--Includes nursing schools in Section 102, ``Institutions Outside the United States''. McCarthy (NY)--No. 23--Creates a pilot program to increase the number of graduate educated nurse faculty to meet the future need for qualified nurses. McCollum (MN)--No. 75--Requires colleges that participate in Federal financial aid programs to disclose information to students and the Department of Education about the college's compliance with U.S. regulations that prohibit bonuses to admissions counselors for their recruitment efforts. McCollum (MN)--No. 96--(Late) Strikes Section 204 and related sections. This amendment strikes the Teacher Incentive Fund provisions and requires the Secretary of Education to direct any funds appropriated for the Teacher Incentive Fund to financial assistance to higher education institutions located in areas affected by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. Millender-McDonald (CA)--No. 4--Makes mentoring a component of the community services programs under work-study. The program can be coordinated between the eligible institution and the public and private organizations and entities that will participate in providing mentoring for children in foster care (such as faith-based organizations, foster care/adoption agencies, children's groups, State Departments of Social Services, public school systems). Millender-McDonald (CA)--No. 3--Directs the Secretary of Education to advocate for and support the addition of foster- care mentoring programs as part of the independent study requirements if such independent study requirements are required for graduation in the following areas of Education, Sociology, and Psychology at 4-year or 2-year intuitions. The duration of the program would be as outlined by academic requirements for graduation. Millender-McDonald (CA)--No. 6--Clarifies the due process owed to educational institutions throughout the accreditation process. The amendment would: (1) provide express Congressional definition of minimum due process for educational institutions; and (2) require key accreditation decision making to be made in public and after an opportunity for public comment. Miller (NC)/Bishop (NY)--No. 89--(Late) Establishes a pre- competitive innovation investment grant program that will assist colleges and universities in establishing precompetitive technology transfer centers. Miller (CA)/McCarthy (NY)--No. 91--(Late) Offers up-front tuition assistance to undergraduates committed to a teaching career, and seeks to establish teachers infields like math and science. Establishes grants with which local districts can provide competitive salaries to their best teachers in the most high-need areas. Norton (DC)--No. 93--(Late) Amends title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to include the University of the District of Columbia as an eligible institution in Section 326 to receive funding for its qualified graduate programs. Norton (DC)--No. 95--(Late) Amends Section 496 to clarify the current statutory due process requirements, require cited institutions to receive notice of the deficiencies and be provided the opportunity to respond, grant cited institutions the right to assistance of counsel, and change the final appeals procedure to provide an alternative dispute resolution component. Petri (WI)/Miller (CA)--No. 27--Inserts at the end of part G of title IV of the bill, the provisions of HR 1425, the Student Aid Reward Program. Ryan (OH)--No. 8--Requires the Education Secretary to award grants of not more than $25,000 each on a competitive basis to not more than 20 institutions of higher education to enable those schools to determine the feasibility of operating a course material rental program on their campuses. The feasibility studies would determine the effectiveness and cost of a program which expands the services of bookstores to provide the option for students to rent course materials in order to achieve savings for students. Ryan (OH)--No. 7--Requires institutions of higher education to waive academic progress requirements for interruptions of study caused by active military service. Sanchez, Loretta (CA)--No. 111--(Late) Adds language so that paragraph 4 of section 513 enables students receiving financial assistance to receive some sufficient to cover elevated costs of living that exist in some regions. Sanchez, Loretta (CA)--No. 112--(Late) Adds language so that SECTION 131(b)(1) will require the website to provide, along with other data elements of importance, information which will be useful to minority student populations. For example, by including Hispanic Serving Institutions as a search criterion in the website's college search, students will be able to target the universities which may provide scholarships or areas of study of their preference. Sanchez, Loretta (CA)--No. 113--(Late) Adds language so that SECTION 131(b)(3)(B) reads as follows: ``includes clear and uniform information determined to be relevant to prospective students, enrolled students, and families; in both English and Spanish''. This amendment will require all the information in the website to be presented in both English and Spanish. Sanchez, Loretta (CA)--No. 114--(Late) Adds a new paragraph so that the new SECTION 131(c)(2) requires the schools in the website to present a list of scholarships they offer. This will help students who are eligible for specific scholarships to identify institutions who offer that specific type of scholarship. Sanchez, Loretta (CA)--No. 115--(Late) Adds language so that SECTION 131(d) will require the information under this section to be in both English and Spanish. Sanchez, Loretta (CA)--No. 116--(Late) Adds language so that SECTION 401A(a)(1) will oblige recipients of federal student aid to receive some instruction in financial literacy and responsibility to better manage their financial aid. Scott (GA)/Drake (VA)/Weiner (NY)--No. 69--Establishes a student loan repayment program within the Department of Education for borrowers who agree to remain employed, for at least three years, as public attorneys who are: (1) State or local criminal prosecutors; or (2) State, Local, or Federal public defenders in criminal cases. The repayment under this program will be limited to $6000 per calendar year and $40,000 total. Scott (VA)--No. 83--Requires degree granting institutions to collect hate crimes data using the same crime categories that the FBI is required to use under the Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1991. Strickland (OH)--No. 70--Requires that the maximum authorized Pell grant award increases every year by a percentage equal to the percent increase in the cost of higher education, according to the Price Indexes for Personal Consumption Expenditures by Type of Product of the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce. Strickland (OH)--No. 71--Defines and sets minimum standards for ``educational organizations'' eligible for teacher education partnership grants under Title II of the bill. Strickland (OH)--No. 53--Expands the loan forgiveness program for FFEL and DL borrowers to all teachers working in low-income schools who became first-time borrowers on or after October 1, 1990. Stupak (MI)--No. 78--Provides Federal student loan relief to borrowers who go into school administration in low-income school districts. Applies to any borrower who has been employed as a full-time school superintendent, principal, or other administrator for five consecutive complete school years in a school district in a low-income area. Tierney (MA)/Kind (WI)--No. 76--Prohibits the campus-based aid funding formula changes from taking place until the Secretary of Education certifies that sufficient funding has been appropriated so that no school loses money. Tierney (MA)/McCollum (MN)--No. 40--Provides incentives to make tuition affordable. Provides that any institution of higher education that keeps its net tuition price increase below the Higher Education Price Index receives a 25 percent increase to the Pell Grant award of its Pell Grant recipients and any institution that guarantees net tuition price increases below the Higher Education Price Index for five years receives a 10 percent increase to the Pell Grant award of its Pell Grant recipients. Institutions that raise net tuition price by more than the Higher Education Price Index shall submit a report explaining the causes of such an increase and detailing a plan for preventing such increases in the future. Tierney (MA)/McCollum (MN)--No. 41--Commissions the National Research Council to conduct a national study to determine the viability of developing and implementing standards in environmental, health, and safety areas to provide for differential regulation of industrial laboratories and facilities, on the one hand, and research and teaching laboratories on the other. The National Research Council shall make specific recommendations for statutory and regulatory changes that are needed to develop such a differential approach. Tierney (MA)/McCollum (MN)--No. 42--Creates an articulation agreement demonstration program, monitored by the Department of Education, to encourage institutions of higher education to enter into articulation agreements or consortia groups, as a means to lower tuition prices to students. Tierney (MA)/McCollum (MN)--No. 43--Renews states' commitment to affordable college education by ensuring that they maintain their own level of college financing. Gives students and families access to accurate information about the cost of college and steps individual schools are taking to offer affordable rates of tuition. Tierney (MA)--No. 44--Commissions a study by the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance to examine the adequacy of current financial aid programs and the extent to which every qualified eligible student receives a sufficient comprehensive financial aid package from all sources, induding aid from Federal financial aid programs under this title, state financial aid programs, institutional financial aid programs, and privately-funded grant aid programs. Tierney (MA)/McCollum (MN)--No. 45--Commissions a GAO Study on college costs and the relationship between state, Federal and institutional support for higher education and college costs. Waters (CA)--No. 118--(LATE) Seeks to condition the eligibility of private, post-secondary institutions as ``institutions of higher education'' for purpose of funding under the Act on the obtainment of at least 10 percent of its total funding from sources other than Title IV. Waters (CA)--No. 56--Extends eligibility for Centers of Excellence program funds to states in which a major disaster has occurred under Section 402 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act for a period of two years following the date of Presidential declaration. Wu (OR)/Simmons (CT)--No. 9--Allows student loan borrowers to refinance their student loans. Upon reconsolidation, the borrower would get a variable rate with a cap of 6.8 prcent. Wu (OR)/McGovern (MA)--No. 10--Increases the Pell Grant award to $8,000 through the use of mandatory funds over a period of 5 years. Mr. Speaker, I ask my friends on the other side of the aisle, why doesn't Mr. Inslee deserve a floor vote on his proposal on Head Start teacher loan forgiveness? Why prevent public discussion of Mr. McGovern's and Mr. Wu's proposal that we increase Pell Grant awards? Or the amendment from Mr. Miller and Mr. Petri that would provide $12 billion in student aid without costing the taxpayers a dime? Clearly, their ideas would have at least made it to the floor for the debate in 1992 and 1998. So have these Members simply shown up to the wrong section of Congress, or does the majority feel that these amendments might be sound policy and pass? Members on both sides of the aisle decry the lack of bipartisanship in the House every day, but what are we doing to really embrace bipartisanship? We should be able to agree that every Member of this body deserves time to offer his or her suggestions on something as fundamental as our Nation's education policy. Sadly, that is not the case this morning. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to reject the second rule and the underlying legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Utah for yielding me this time as we continue into part two. Today, we are considering a second rule to make in order amendments to the Republican majority's version of the higher education reauthorization. I had hoped we would have had the opportunity to continue a meaningful debate about how to best assist families and students across this Nation trying to pursue the college dream because a college education plays such a critical part in our lives. As children, we all play at grown-up roles, dreaming of what we may be when we grow up, a teacher, an astronaut, a doctor, a scientist, an underwater adventurer or perhaps even a Member of Congress. Well, an education is what turns those dreams into reality, and with the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, we could have had an opportunity to play a role in encouraging these children's futures. But to do that, we need to be looking at a reauthorization that reinforces our Nation's longstanding commitment to providing educational opportunities for all Americans, but alas, at the start of this year, my colleagues across the aisle pushed through the budget reconciliation package that cuts student loan programs by $12 billion, the single largest cut to the Nation's Federal student aid programs ever. Middle-income families are hard-pressed to keep up with rising tuition costs. Due to record high financial barriers, high school graduates who are fully prepared to attend a 4-year college are unable to do so. While college tuition has continued to rise far faster than the cost of living, the maximum Pell Grant level has remained virtually constant, thus forcing many qualified students to postpone or cancel their dreams of a college degree or to incur significant debt in the form of loans. Clearly, this bill has room for improvement. We could be debating a number of thoughtful amendments that would help substantially increase our investment in student loan programs, recruit teachers and develop a high-skilled workforce. However, fewer than one in five amendments was made in order. Take, for example, the amendment offered by Representative Inslee to recruit Head Start teachers. I remember visiting the Nedra Court and Whispering Pines Head Start program in my district. The 60 students at each site definitely kept those teachers busy. This is a challenging job for which the $20,000 salary really is not much of an incentive. Yet, last year, the House passed H.R. 2123, the School Readiness Act, to reauthorize the Head Start program. Contained in that legislation was an unfunded mandate requiring Head Start teachers to obtain a bachelor's degree. Representative Inslee offered a straightforward amendment to increase student loan forgiveness programs to $17,500, which is the same level allowed for other targeted forgiveness programs for high-need professions. However, we will not be allowed to debate this amendment because the Republican majority are limiting the democratic process. And those $12 billion in cuts from the Deficit Reduction Act, Representative Emanuel had an amendment that would restore the $12 billion to student aid programs cut in the Deficit Reduction Act. I think I hear about the negative impacts of these student aid cuts at least every other day, whether I am home in Sacramento or here in Washington, D.C. I find it hard to believe every other Member is not hearing this as well. But that amendment was not made in order. Nor was the bipartisan Student Aid Reward amendment. At no additional cost to taxpayers, the STAR amendment would generate more than $12 billion in additional college scholarship aid. Representatives Holt and Kind also crafted an exceptional amendment to promote students to study and enter into careers focused on math, science, engineering and technology. At a time of increasing concern about America's competitiveness in the world, these are fields we must promote to develop an engaged workforce. I recently toured the UC Davis Center for Biophotonics in my district. This center explores how light and lasers can be applied to medical procedures, making for less invasive treatments and better diagnoses of cancer. The center has dozens of math and science graduate students assisting with research alongside the Nation's leading biophotonics experts. Unfortunately, today we are sending a mixed message to students: We need you to pursue math and sciences, but we will not ensure that you can afford the education to enter these fields. Today, the economic, social and civic importance of a college education has never been more important. Yet, college enrollment rates in the United States are stagnant. As more and more baby boomers begin to retire, we will be facing a crisis in the employment market if we cannot develop a highly skilled and trained workforce. This must be a national priority, but apparently not for this Congress. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).