SOAR Technical Corrections Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3237) to amend the SOAR Act by clarifying the scope of coverage of the Act, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Earlier this year, this body debated and ultimately approved legislation authorizing scholarships to give needy District of Columbia students the opportunity to leave their public school and enroll in a private school of their choice.

Following the House's approval of the SOAR Act, the legislation was enacted into law as a part of the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, which was signed by the President on April 15.

We are here today because there are several small and technical modifications that need to be made in order for the scholarship program to achieve its goal. This legislation would clarify three provisions: first, the education requirements for teachers of scholarship students; second, how the nationally norm-referenced test would be administered in order to properly collect data to study the effectiveness of the program; and, third, which students participate in the study.

On November 3, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform approved H.R. 3237, the SOAR Technical Corrections Act, by a voice vote.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank my colleague, Ms. Norton, and my colleague, Ranking Member Cummings, for working with us to ensure we had the appropriate language to modify the legislation that is before us today.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would again thank our colleagues Ms. Norton and Mr. Cummings, and I urge Members to support the passage of H.R. 3237.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I appreciate Speaker Boehner, Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Chair Lieberman, and Oversight and Government Reform Chair Issa, as well as my good colleague on the other side of the aisle, the subcommittee chairman, Mr. Gowdy, I appreciate that all of them have worked with us and have consulted with us on these technical changes, and I do not oppose this bill.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 3237 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.