Floor Statements

Madam Chairman, I offer an amendment.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The amendment I have offered with Representative Welch today is meant to complement the underlying legislation and help us better utilize the Federal student loan program. I am supportive of H.R. 5715, which I believe will help prevent instability in the student loan market and ensure students have access to funds for higher education. This amendment doesn't alter the base bill but can help us learn more about rising costs.

As you know, the committee has actively worked to identify causes of rising college costs while tuition rates continue to increase more rapidly than household incomes. This rate of increase continues to prove to be overly burdensome for both students and families as they save and borrow to pay for higher education.

Adding another layer of complexity is the existing slump in credit markets. For this reason, several lending institutions have recently announced that soaring lending costs have caused them to decrease availability of new loans to American students.

Today, I am pleased Congress has the opportunity to vote on this bipartisan legislation to protect students and families by ensuring disruptions in the financial markets do not prevent students from pursuing their higher education goals.

I believe this legislation can help restore investor confidence in the marketplace, provide additional flexibility for parents through a new, optional grace period for PLUS loan payments until after their children graduate, as well as ensure that parents struggling with mortgage payments are not automatically denied credit through PLUS loans.

Also, this bill expands loan availability through higher unsubsidized Stafford loan limits. This provision, along with a provision passed under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 which increased loan limits on federally subsidized loans, enables students to receive more Federal funding, reducing reliance on higher cost private loans.

Although I strongly support these provisions, I believe we have an opportunity here to determine what impact, if any, these changes have on tuition, fees, and room and board costs and private loan borrowing by students and parents.

The amendment I am offering today does just this. The amendment will provide for a review and evaluation by the Government Accountability Office, GAO, of these two aspects of higher education.

Specifically, the GAO study will examine institutions of higher education over a 5-year time period to look at whether tuition, fees, and room and board increase, decrease, or remain neutral after the increases in loan limits take effect, as well as whether the amount of private educational loans taken out by students and their families to pay tuition, fees, and room and board increase, decrease, or remain neutral.

I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment to shine some light on possible causes of the rising cost of higher education and also urge support for the base bill to maintain access to the Federal student loan program.

I thank Mr. Welch for working with me on this amendment and for speaking in favor of this bill yesterday before the House. And we would just like to say that I just think it is so important that we deal with the costs of higher education as well as the financing of higher education. Hopefully, by this add-on, we will be able to do at least a little bit of that.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairwoman, I want to thank Chairman Miller for his kind words.

I think that all of us, including Mr. McKeon, on whom I will call in a moment, would all agree that we need to educate our young people as well as we can, and they need to be able to afford it. And anything we can do to help in that area is something that we should be doing.

I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon) whatever time he may consume.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to recognize Senator Thurman G. Adams, Jr., who was elected by his colleagues as Senate President Pro Tempore of the Delaware General Assembly in January of 2003. Senator Adams is also the longest serving member of the State Senate in Delaware history, as he has represented the 19th Senate District of Sussex County since 1972, and I had the personal pleasure of serving with him in the State Senate during my last term as a Senator from 1972 to 1976 and again as Lt. Governor from 1981 to 1985. In addition, when I was Governor of Delaware from 1985 to 1993 I worked closely with Senator Adams on many issues.

During his career in public service, Senator Adams has held many distinguished positions. Before becoming President Pro Tempore, he served as Senate Majority Leader from 1999 to 2003. Senator Adams serves on several standing committees, including the Agriculture Committee, the Highways & Transportation Committee, and as longtime Chairman of the Executive Committee. In this position he has overseen the appointment of Chief Justices, Judges, cabinet secretaries and individuals to other prominent positions within State Government. He has worked for the interests of Delaware's farm community and expended much effort toward such causes as improving roads and the quality of Delaware's public education system. As a member of the Public Safety Committee, Senator Adams sponsored legislation that established Delaware's ``Enhanced 911'' emergency telephone system.

Senator Adams is a lifelong Delawarean, being born and raised in Bridgeville, DE, in the very district that he now represents. After graduating from Bridgeville High School, Senator Adams went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Education from the University of Delaware. Senator Adams was married for almost 50 years to Hilda McCabe Adams, who passed away in 2002. His world revolves around family and his two daughters, Polly and Lynn, son Brent who passed away, seven grandsons and four great-grandchildren mean the world to him. He is the president of T.G. Adams & Sons, Inc., a feed and grain company, and oversees a large farming business. Senator Adams has served on various boards, including the Eastern Shore Grain Dealers Association, of which he was president, chairman of the United Methodist Church Administrative board, president of Harrington Raceway, and as director of Baltimore Trust Company, Milford Memorial Hospital and the Medical Center of Delaware. In addition to his public service, Senator Adams devotes time to community outreach and charitable projects through the Bridgeville Lions Club, several Shrine Clubs, and numerous other organizations. Finally, if we could get his beloved Baltimore Orioles back into the World Series I am certain Senator Adams would consider his work complete, well at least for a moment or so.

I commend and thank Senator Thurman Adams for his innumerable contributions and many years of admirable service to the State of Delaware. I am confident that he will continue to serve the people of Delaware with passion and excellence and I am very proud to call him my friend.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to recognize Mrs. Kathleen Wilbur, who is being honored with the renaming of the Range Hill Elementary School to Kathleen H. Wilbur Elementary School. Kathleen was selected for this honor because of her dedication and service to the Delaware public school system for the last 48 years.

Kathleen has been instrumental throughout her years of service to the Delaware public

school system. Through her 20 years of service on the Board of Education in New Castle County's Colonial School District as both the Vice-President and President, Kathleen played an extremely active role in key decisions that have affected thousands of students' lives. Kathleen remains active working with the schools in Delaware, and she continues to volunteer with students with disabilities at the John G. Leach School.

Kathleen was honored by the Delaware School Boards Association throughout her dedicated years of service, as she served as a member, chair, and eventually president of the association. She also served the association as Delaware's State representative delegate to the National School Boards Association. Kathleen received the Boardmanship Certificate every year they have ever been presented due to her relentless service to the Delaware School Boards Association. In 1993, the Delaware School Boards awarded Kathleen the Distinguished Service Award for her 33 years of service. The National School Boards Association honored her with the Distinguished Service Award in 1999.

Once again, I would like to acknowledge Mrs. Kathleen Wilbur for her many years of service and numerous contributions to the State of Delaware. She has been an invaluable asset to the Delaware public school system and positively impacted the lives of thousands of Delaware students.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of The Cytology Proficiency Improvement Act, H.R. 1237, which would modernize and improve a Federal program aimed at promoting quality cervical cancer screening. Pathologists are already required by Federal law under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988, CLIA, to comply with extensive quality assurance standards for Pap tests. The bill would complement CLIA by establishing a Federal continuing medical education, CME, requirement for pathologists and laboratory professionals who examine Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer.

I have been a long-time advocate of medical technology and education advancements. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to tour the Pathology Lab at St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington, DE to get a first hand look at the practice and techniques used in Delaware. During the tour, the doctors and medical staff highlighted the need for H.R. 1237.

Regular screening can make all the difference in addressing cervical cancer and early detection can save lives. Women need access to the latest in Pap test science, principles of patient safety and technological advances such as computer-assisted screening, digital imaging, and HPV typing. Over the years, this educational requirement will also accommodate advances in science and technology without going through the long process of making changes in regulation.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support passage of The Cytology Proficiency Improvement Act, H.R. 1237.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to recognize Michael J. Hare, deputy director of the Riverfront Development Corporation of Delaware. Mike has been an important figure there since April 1996, but has decided to take a new direction and join the Bucchini Pollin Group. Mike will be working on the new soccer stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania.

Mike started working for the Delaware Economic Development office in 1989. After 6 years, he became a senior development specialist under Governor Thomas R. Carper. Throughout the past 12 years, Mike has been an integral part of the Riverfront Development Corporation. He assisted in the construction of the Amtrak Consolidated National Operations Center, the Chase Center on the Riverfront, Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park, the Riverwalk, Christina Landing, and the Justison Landing. Mike also worked to bring AAA Mid-Atlantic's headquarters to the Wilmington riverfront.

Mike was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware. He attended Archmere Academy, where he currently serves on the board of directors. He graduated from the University of St. Joseph's, where he earned his bachelor's degree in public administration. Mike serves on the National Alumni Board for St. Joseph's and was honored with the Ignatius Award in 1995 for outstanding alumni involvement and service. Mike also attended the Fels Center of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.

Being a Delaware native, Mike has contributed many years of service to the State of Delaware. He currently sits on the board of directors for the Latin American Community Center, the Delaware Stadium Corporation, the Friends of the Woodlawn Library, the Riverfront Wilmington Improvement District, and the Rivers Edge Community Development Corporation. Not only has he been an active board member for numerous organizations, but Mike has also been a member of the Barbelin Society and the Hawk Hoop Club.

I acknowledge Mr. Michael J. Hare for his many years of service and numerous contributions to his community and the State of Delaware. I am confident that Mike will be successful and prosperous at his new job with the Bucchini Pollin Group. It is inspiring to see such an active and influential member of our community remain committed to the betterment of Delaware.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to recognize Ms. Priscilla Rakestraw, who is the recipient of The Agenda for Delaware Women's 24th Trailblazer Award. Priscilla was selected for this award because of her pioneer roles in formulating corporate policy, community service, politics, and Government.

During her career in human resources at the DuPont Company, Priscilla was instrumental in developing substance abuse and sexual harassment programs for DuPont. These programs gained recognition nationwide, eventually resulting in their adoption at DuPont locations throughout the United States. Due to Priscilla's foresight and persistence, DuPont was able to provide assistance aimed at eradicating harmful behaviors in the workplace.

After leaving DuPont, Priscilla continued to use her skills and passion as a leader to advance causes for organizations she feels strongly about. She is active in raising funds for various community, church, and charitable organizations. As development director for Wilmington College, Priscilla played a vital part in raising funds to expand the university by acquiring new college sites. As development director for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, she has raised funds for a new, more conveniently located facility. She has served on a number of boards, including Goodwill, the Ministry of Caring, the East Side Charter School, and the annual auction for the Emmanuel Dining Room, where she raised over $500,000 to provide food to those in need.

An advocate for women in politics and Government, Priscilla has long encouraged women to pursue positions in politics, she herself having extensive experience in the political arena. Priscilla has held leadership positions in more than 120 campaigns, both at the national and State levels. She is presently the longest serving member of the Republican National Committee, having held the position of Delaware's Republican National Committeewoman since the age of 27. She will attend the National Convention this year, as usual, and is a member of the Arrangements Committee and chair of the Convention's Entertainment Committee.

I want to publicly thank, recognize and acknowledge Priscilla Rakestraw for her many years of service and numerous contributions to the State of Delaware. She is an excellent role model for those who aspire to serve their community through both public office and private service. She is a true trailblazer in every respect.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to overriding the President's veto of H.R. 2082, the conference agreement on the Fiscal Year 2008 Intelligence Authorization Act.

As a former Member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, I believe it is vital that we provide the United States intelligence agencies with the tools and resources necessary to ensure our security. Therefore, I strongly support funding in this bill for human intelligence activities, intelligence analysis, and counterterrorism operations. Furthermore, I support language in the agreement prohibiting the use of interrogation techniques not authorized by the U.S. Army Field Manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations. Our soldiers and interrogators need to know exactly where the line is when engaging prisoners and there should be absolutely no question about what is acceptable behavior and what is not. In fact, I have cosponsored legislation to require the anti-torture provisions included in this conference agreement.

Nevertheless, I will oppose this bill because it fails to implement the 9/11 Commission's recommendations for reforming congressional oversight of intelligence funding. In its final report, the 9/11 Commission concluded that: ``Of all our recommendations, strengthening congressional oversight may be among the most difficult and important. So long as oversight is governed by the current congressional rules and resolutions, we believe the American people will not get the security they want and need.''

Last year, the Democratic leadership attempted to apply a ``Band- Aide'' to this problem by creating a powerless Intelligence Oversight Panel that has very little control over actual funding decisions. This is clearly not what the 9/11 Commission recommended. In fact, its report plainly states that ``tinkering with the existing committee structure is not sufficient.'' In May of 2007, I offered a simple amendment to the bill before us, calling for Congress to implement these crucial recommendations--but it was prevented from being considered for inclusion in this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, the American people have insisted that we implement all of the 9/11 Commission recommendations--even those that are difficult. We will be doing this country a disservice until we put in place an effective committee structure capable of giving our national intelligence agencies the oversight, support, and leadership they need.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to the late Elmer D. Saxton, Sr. Mr. Saxton passed away peacefully at the age of 87 on Monday, February 18, 2008, surrounded by his family. Formerly, Mr. Saxton served as the State of Delaware Service Officer for the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization.

Mr. Saxton was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Agnes, in 1993. A career soldier, Mr. Saxton proudly served our country as a member of the United States Army in both World War II and the Korean War. He was recognized for his service in various artillery and ordinance corps by several commendation medals. Following his retirement from active duty, Mr. Saxton worked for the University of Delaware and the United States Postal Service before taking his position at the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Upon his retirement from his position as Delaware's VFW Service Officer, Mr. Saxton continued to put forth tireless effort in assisting those in need. As a member of the American Legion and the Knights of Columbus, as well as an ongoing member of the VFW, he devoted himself to ensuring that flags were placed on all veterans' graves and that members of the honor guard served for fallen comrades. In addition, Mr. Saxton was instrumental in the establishment of the Veterans Memorial Cemetery and the Veterans Nursing Home in Milford, Delaware. As a founder and faithful member of Holy Family Church for many years, he enthusiastically participated in community outreach and service projects, including the collection and distribution of food with Val's Needy People fund and the delivery of emergency and holiday groceries. Mr. Saxton faced all challenges with one goal in mind: to help another.

Mr. Saxton, or ``Pop'', as he was called by his family, will be lovingly remembered by his three children, nine grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren. They will remember him as a man who loved to solve crossword puzzles, loved to root for his beloved Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies and Wilmington Blue Rocks, and loved to help others. His superlative example of heroism, dedication, and selflessness will serve as an inspiration to all those who knew him.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to reccognize Mr. John Cochran, Business Development Executive of Bank of America Card Services. John will retire this year from his position as a leader in a company with the largest credit card portfolio in North America, having over 40 million customers amounting to $190 billion in high-interest loans.

During his time at Bank of America, John was responsible for all business development endeavors for Bank of America Card Services. Prior to the January 2006 merger with Bank of America, John was the chief operating officer of MBNA Corporation, which he also helped to found in 1982. Under John's direction as head of Business Development, MBNA became a pioneer in issuing so-called ``affinity'' credit cards--cards endorsed by alumni associations, interest groups, professional organizations, clothing manufacturers, sports teams, and others. Cards emblazoned with the logo of a much-loved alma mater or team proved to be appealing to many consumers and, as a result of John's ingenuity, MBNA enjoyed runaway growth. Within 10 years, MBNA had become one of Delaware's largest employers, and remains so today under the Bank of America name. John is also the person behind Bank of America's 3 major affinity relationships: the National Education Association, Ducks Unlimited, and the American Automobile Association, all 3 of which will celebrate 27 years of successful marketing agreements with Bank of America this year.

John was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He attended Loyola College, where he currently sits on the board and has served as its chairman. Though not a Delaware native, John contributes to the State of Delaware in more ways than just furthering private sector development. John is a member of the board of directors of the Delaware Council for Economic Education. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the Delaware Public Policy Institute.

I acknowledge Mr. John Cochran for his many years of service and numerous contributions to Bank of America, the credit card industry, and the State of Delaware. I am confident that as he enjoys his retirement with his wife and children, and cheers for his beloved Baltimore Orioles, he will remain an active and influential member of our community.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to Steve Anderson and the dedicated employees of Anderson Homes, an independent homebuilder based in Middletown, Delaware. This week Anderson Homes will do what many consider impossible. Together, with ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition design team and hundreds of local sub-contractors and volunteers, they will build two new high quality homes for two Wilmington families in less than a week's time. Mr. Ty Pennington, the host of the show, informed the Latif family and their neighbor Rose Chatman of the wonderful news Tuesday morning in traditional fashion: yelling ``Good Morning'' via bullhorn.

Anderson Homes has agreed to tackle this unbelievable challenge of building two houses, while waiving all fees and donating all the materials. Anderson Homes was founded in Middletown, Delaware, in 2000 and has 45 full-time employees. In just 7 years, the company has built more than 1,000 quality homes. The company was named the ``Fastest Growing Homebuilder in the Nation, 2003'' by Builder Magazine and was the recipient of 11 Regal Awards by the Homebuilders Association of Delaware in 2006.

ABC-TV Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is on a quest to build a house in all 50 States. Each family will return from an all expenses paid trip to Disney World to find a brand new' home, custom built to meet their special needs. The Extreme Makeover team selected the Latif and Chatman families of Delaware for their most recent home-building project because of their unique and inspiring circumstances.

Ju-Juanna Latif's life story is one of inspiration, a reminder to all of us of what can be accomplished if one perseveres. Ms. Latif became a single mother at the age of 16 and dropped out of high school. In spite of the obstacles, Ms. Latif earned a GED and set her sights on going to college. Unfortunately, life once again challenged Ms. Latif and she found herself living in a homeless shelter with her baby. While living at the shelter, Ms. Latif worked proactively to achieve her goals by taking parenting classes, undergoing job training, and enrolling in college once again.

Upon completion of a work study program, Ms. Latif was able to move out of the shelter into low-income housing. Ms. Latif bought her grandmother's home and, in doing so, also met a wonderful neighbor, Rose Chatman.

Ms. Latif is a proud mother of four children, ages: 19, 13, 12, and 9. James, Ms. Latif's youngest child, has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and is wheelchair-bound. Ms. Chatman, better known as ``Grandma Rose'' takes care of James during the day while Ms. Latif goes to work as a welfare fraud analyst. ``Grandma Rose'' not only cares for young James, but is also an active member of her church by making the flower arrangements and providing transportation to church members.

With the help of Anderson Homes and ABC-TV Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, the new home will accommodate the special needs of Ms. Latif's son, James, and will make life easier for the entire family, including ``Grandma Rose.''

Thank you to Steve Anderson, the employees of Anderson Homes, ABC, and all the volunteers who made the dream of a brand new home a reality for these deserving families.

I thank the distinguished ranking member for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to rise in support of the legislation and to rise in support of the manager's amendment.

I hope that everybody who supports considering this bill today is paying attention to what I think all of us are hearing at home, and that is that the cost of college education is going up faster, as the cost of living increases, than anything, including health care; that is a vital part of our economy; that if we do not produce good college graduates and graduate students beyond that, that we will be hurt greatly from an economic point of view; and that we need to address these issues.

I think this legislation, which was forged with the help of Republicans and Democrats, with amendments by Republicans and Democrats, is balanced legislation and serves the purpose of dealing with looking closely at college costs and asking them to pay attention to it.

We have had a number of hearings about this; and some have produced good testimony, some have produced

sort of marginal testimony in terms what could be done. In my view, this legislation is a big step forward in addressing that issue. I know all the college presidents and boards mean well, but the bottom line is they have to serve well too. They have to make sure that college is affordable to as many people as possible.

I will be involved in several of the amendments later on, but the basic underlying structure of what we are trying to do here today is of great importance to the entire educational and economic future of our country. I hope that all of us can be as supportive as possible of the legislation and of the manager's amendment.

Madam Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I'm pleased to offer this college cost accountability amendment to the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, which I also support, legislation to reform and strengthen many of the Nation's higher education programs.

As you know, for over a decade, Congress has worked on the behalf of students and families in an effort to solve the college cost crisis. Today we will have the opportunity to vote on these bipartisan college cost reforms.

We all can agree on the need to hold down the costs of college, and I believe we're making progress by providing additional support to minority-serving institutions, teacher quality grants, grants supporting veteran student success, and other positive changes. I would like to also note the provisions included to help us better track annual changes in tuition, fees, and room and board costs for undergraduate students. All of the information collected will be made publicly available on the department's College Navigator Web site so that students and their parents have better access to cost increases at various institutions.

While each of these provisions take steps in the right direction to combat college costs, I believe we can go farther to uncover what is driving college costs and hopefully stem the tide of this growth that threatens access to higher education for many American students.

My amendment expands the responsibilities of the quality task forces established in the underlying legislation by requiring them to develop annual benchmarks for the top 5 percent of institutions that have the largest increase in their tuition and fees over the most recent 3-year period. If these institutions fail to meet these benchmarks, rather than punishing these schools with legislative penalties, institutions are simply required to provide the Secretary of Education with a detailed explanation of the reasons why they failed to do so.

I am supportive of the underlying legislation which makes reforms for our institutions of higher learning, parents and students, and my amendment will build upon the provisions set forth in the introduced legislation to make tuition increases even more transparent and help ensure colleges are doing everything possible to reduce college costs so that any student wishing to obtain a higher education may do so.

I urge my colleagues to support my amendment.

Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chairman, I thank the distinguished chairman for his kind words about the amendment and for his work, along with Mr. McKeon and Mr. Keller and others and Mr. Tierney on the legislation, and I urge everybody to support the amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I rise in strong support of the Cooper amendment.

I am a great believer in what our historically black colleges have done and continue to do. Delaware State University in my State is clearly a good example of that. I think this authorization level increase makes a lot of sense.

This is not something new. This has been going on for over 100 years in our country. We have been basically educating African Americans, sometimes in a segregated way, but now I think in every instance in a way where we have complete desegregation, too. The historical black colleges have played a prominent role in the education of many African American students in our country and have provided an environment of intellectual and cultural growth.

While comprising 2.4 percent of all 2- and 4-year title IV eligible institutions, the Historically Black Colleges and Universities are responsible for 23 percent of the bachelor's degrees awarded to African Americans, 13.6 percent of all master's degrees awarded to African Americans, and 24.1 percent of first professional degrees awarded to African Americans. These statistics are very important, and I think make a great deal of sense in terms of our continuing support in the Congress of the United States of America.

I think the amendment is a good amendment, and I believe that it is one that we should all support here as part of this act which is going to help higher education in our country.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Ryan-Altmire amendment in the broader sense of what we are dealing with here today, and that is the cost of higher education.

I think we have an obligation as elected officials in this country to do everything in our power to allow young individuals, perhaps in some cases middle-aged individuals, to proceed with a college education. It is necessary for the future of our country, for the future of our economy, and we have to look at all different measures of this. And we're dealing with a lot of broader measures here today. But I've often heard this issue of textbooks is a significant cost driver, and I think it is. I see, by some statistics that have been provided to us, the textbook prices have increased at four times the rate of inflation since 1994; and students spend an average of $900 a year on textbooks,

an amount equal to 20 percent of tuition at an average university, half the tuition at a community college. If those numbers are anywhere near correct, and they're projected numbers, but if they're anywhere near correct, that is a huge problem which we have to address in this country. And the colleges have sort of wrestled with it a little bit, but I think they need some guidance. And I believe that the proposal which is in this amendment provides some good guidance to actually try to put together a program so that textbooks can be exchanged and the costs can be kept down greatly.

Under the bill, the publishers would be asked to provide more information to the faculty about pricing; and that's good, because I think the bill did some good things in this area. And colleges and universities would be required to notify their students about which books are needed for which classes so the students are better able to plan and prepare for textbook costs.

But this amendment, which goes further than that, provides us with an opportunity to take more concrete steps to address the high cost of college textbooks by creating the limited pilot competitive grant program to establish a college textbook rental program. If this, as a pilot program, can work, it could lead to measures much further down the line which could provide very substantial cost savings to individuals who are attending college. And for that reason, hopefully we can all be supportive of it.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the amendment which I have cosponsored with Mr. Van Hollen. I could not be more strongly in support of this.

I think we need to understand what Teach for America is. Most people may know, but essentially it's a reach-out by a young lady whose name is Wendy Kopp, with a board of directors which is very strong, which was created with the idea of attracting bright young students to education.

We have many, many good educators in America. We need the best teachers we can find in this country. This was an effort to try to attract individuals who are not necessarily involved in education to become involved in that profession. So they reached out to our very best schools. And all of a sudden, if you look at the Ivy League schools and the other very top schools in America, you are going to find there are more young candidates to go into the Teach for America program than there are any other employer at those particular schools now. A lot of young people want to do this, and it's been highly successful.

They get involved in the schools. It was never established, necessarily, to have them be teachers for life. But that has actually worked in favor of teaching as well because some have stayed in teaching. Others have gone into education administration. And as a result, we have been able to bolster our teachers across the United States of America. It brings new young people into teaching; and with the experienced good teachers that we have already in our country, it can make a huge difference.

I think we have a responsibility to inspire young people to teach, if they are qualified to do so, in every way we possibly can. As a matter of fact, they turned down so many people in this program, I think maybe we should be suggesting a second program of some kind to pick up some of those who were turned down, because they're very qualified people, as a matter of fact.

You heard some of the numbers which Mr. Van Hollen brought up before of 5,000 corps members, et cetera. We want to increase that number. That's what this is really all about.

Hopefully, all of us can be supportive of legislation which is going to provide good teachers, great teachers, to make a difference in the lives of our young people and, hopefully, any concern about how they're getting into teaching versus how others get into teaching is something which we can resolve.

This is clearly needed in this country. We need to improve our schools however we can. I think this amendment will do it, and I encourage everyone to support it.

I rise in support of this amendment offered by Congressman Van Hollen. I support H.R. 4137, and believe that with passage today we will be making some good reforms for our institutions of higher learning, parents, and students. This amendment is intended to build upon these reforms, and extend them into our nations elementary and secondary schools.

Specifically, our amendment would authorize funding to support the Teach for America Program to recruit, select, train and support a national corps of outstanding recent college graduates, of all academic majors, who commit to teach in low-income communities and who hopefully become lifelong leaders for education.

Earlier this year, Representative Van Hollen and I introduced legislation which authorizes Teach for America. Currently, funding for the program has been consistent, but piecemeal. The purpose of the bill, and amendment, should the organization be awarded a grant, would be to provide an efficient funding stream. Ultimately this will help the organization grow from its current membership of over 5,000 corps members in over 1,000 schools in 26 regions. The Teach for America legislation has the support of 105 cosponsors, spanning the political spectrum. The Senate has also expressed support for the program, and has included language in their reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. It is my hope that today the House will show their support by including this amendment in H.R. 4137.

What we know to be true is that a highly qualified teacher is imperative to the achievement of our students. This amendment will help us to make that more possible across the country. As we, as a nation, continue to focus on closing the achievement gap, I see no better compliment than a national teacher corps.

I encourage all of my colleagues to join representative Van Hollen and me in supporting this amendment.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to the University of Delaware Department of Public Safety for being recognized by the Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, an independent organization created by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheriffs' Association and the Police Executive Research Forum. The importance of public safety officers within our community, and in particular within the University of Delaware, cannot be underscored enough. I am proud to represent a State that is home to such selfless and dedicated officers as those at the University of Delaware Department of Public Safety.

The University of Delaware is now a member of an elite group of public safety agencies in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Barbados that have received this prestigious, international award. The men and women of the Department have shown great dedication and commitment to providing quality service and protection to all students, faculty, and staff at the University of Delaware campus.

Employing only a total of forty-two officers on its Wilmington and Lewes campuses with approximately twenty security offices, the Department of Public Safety has no easy task as the University of Delaware has a large enrollment with students living on and off campus in the town of Newark. Despite this challenging task, the department has provided and continues to provide the highest quality protection and service to the University of Delaware community.

The citizens of Delaware deserve to know that the University of Delaware Department of Public Safety, has taken extraordinary steps to demonstrate their professionalism and pride in delivering quality public service to the University of Delaware community. I am tremendously proud of the Department of Public Safety and would like to commend and thank the men and women of the Department for the sacrifices and commitment that they make on a daily basis. The bravery and hard work of all those involved with this outstanding organization is responsible for making Delaware a safer place to live.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the bill before us and consider it a good mix of fiscal policy solutions. Others before me today have already described this legislation in some detail, so I'll refrain from repeating what's already been said. However, I think the approach agreed to by the administration and House leaders from both parties is prudent and responsible. It is no simple matter to find an artful mix of fiscal policy solutions that will stimulate the economy yet mitigate inflationary risks.

As this legislation moves on to the Senate for further consideration, the House and administration should be open to other ideas. There is much at stake and the other body knows that we can always return to this issue if the results of this package need adjusting. We have to recognize that we alone cannot solve an economic slow down. The Federal Reserve will play a major role by setting interest rates and the costs of borrowing at levels commensurate with economic conditions. So some restraint and caution is needed at times like these.

This stimulus package uses a variety of fiscal policy tools--some that will have long term benefits like accelerated depreciation, and others that will have a more immediate impact like recovery rebates. While we can debate the particulars and merits of exactly who is eligible and for what amount of rebate, history shows us that programs like this do positively impact the economy as Americans pay down debt or make modest purchases.

Homebuilding is a major part of our economy, and that industry sector employs many, many Americans. Housing starts this year are forecast to be half of what they were in 2007, and the current stock of new and existing homes on the market is increasing markedly. Therefore, I am particularly pleased that the size of loans the Federal Housing Administration can insure is increasing, and the size of loans that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can purchase will be temporarily increased. This will benefit homeowners who are in a subprime mortgage and struggling to make payments now or when their loan resets.

Finally, the accelerated depreciation schedules included in this package are very important components. As businesses find it advantageous to replace existing equipment or purchase new goods for expansion purposes, the effects of these decisions will be vast and have a positive impact for those that manufacture the equipment or goods, on those that install and in turn use these new or upgraded resources.

All in all, Madam Speaker, I think we have taken some very sound steps here with this bill. Much is at stake here, and we need to move with care and consideration.

Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this stimulus package for the relief it provides over 117 million American families and the timely boost it delivers our slowing economy.

Let's be clear: As a product of genuine bipartisan compromise, this legislation does not contain everything one might have included in a stimulus package. For example, I support--and I hope the President will accept--the Senate's proposal to extend the relief in this package to low-income seniors and people with disabilities. That being said, this legislation proposes to put $145 billion into the hands of those who will use it to strengthen our economy, and it deserves our support today.

The centerpiece of this package is tax relief in the form of rebates of up to $600 for individuals and $1200 for married couples--with an additional $300 available for every dependent child. Importantly, it extends relief to 35 million hard-working families who make too little to pay federal income taxes but do pay payroll, sales, property and other taxes. These rebates will generate $1.26 in economic activity for every dollar we put back into the economy.

The package before us also encourages business investment by doubling the amount small businesses can expense for capital investments made in 2008 and by allowing all businesses to immediately write off 50 percent of depreciable plants and equipment purchased in 2008. Finally, it assists those facing foreclosure by increasing Federal Housing Administration, FHA, loan limits to $729,750 in 2008, and it provides greater liquidity to the mortgage market by temporarily increasing loan limits for single family homes at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from $417,000 to a maximum of $729,750.

For this initiative to be meaningful, it must be timely. Therefore, while I agree with many of the additional elements being discussed by the Senate--such as an appropriate extension of unemployment insurance for those who need it--we must not let prolonged arguments over these items delay swift enactment of the stimulus our economy so clearly needs.

If additional steps prove necessary, we will of course stand ready to act. But for today, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bipartisan agreement.

Ms. MATSUI. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the economic stimulus package. I want to congratulate our Leadership for working in a bipartisan manner to bring much-needed economic relief to all sectors of our economy.

Madam Speaker, our economy is on a downturn. We are seeing gas prices, grocery prices, heating bills, and the price of consumer goods steadily increase.

The dollar has fallen to new alltime lows, prompting inflation fears and the standing of our currency in the world market.

Our housing foreclosure rates continue to threaten the quality of life for our constituents. In my hometown of Sacramento, the foreclosure rate is now the fourth highest in the Nation, with 1 out of every 48 homeowners burdened by this crisis last year.

Madam Speaker, as more and more Americans are feeling insecure about their future, I believe it is the right time for economic intervention by this Congress.

This economic stimulus package put forth today is targeted, temporary, and timely.

It will put hundreds of dollars into consumer pockets and bring financial relief to millions of working families. It will significantly expand the child tax credit.

Madam Speaker, this package also seeks to help those in danger of losing their homes. Americans across our Nation are being challenged daily by the mortgage crisis.

By raising the FHA and GSE loan limits, this bill will inject much- needed liquidity into the California housing market, and more importantly into the Sacramento region.

It will allow struggling homeowners to get out of bad loans and refinance into more affordable loans.

This bill is an important first step. I am proud that we were able to work quickly in a bipartisan fashion to start the process of relieving the economic strain being felt by families across this great country.

Madam Speaker, I again want to thank our Leadership for their hard work on this bill. It is critical that we get our economy back on track. This stimulus package is a step in the right direction.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. This company, for six decades, has been committed to providing exceptional products for their customers while demonstrating exemplary business practices.

Founded in 1958, W.L. Gore & Associates has grown to be the global leader in fabrics, medical, industrial, and electronic products. The organization's success has grown from the dedication, passion, and their commitment of their employees to excellence. For ten consecutive years, they have earned the recognition on FORTUNE magazines ``100 Best Companies to Work For,'' and in 2007 was ranked tenth overall.

To this day, W.L. Gore & Associates is recognized for its unique corporate culture. With a mission of creativity and personal responsibility, their organization adopted a management structure driven by personal interaction. Corporate decisions are made based on knowledge and experience, rather than by official titles or positions. As envisioned by founders' Bill and Vieve Gore, they hoped that associates would constantly be encouraged to grow through knowledge, skill, and individual accountability.

On this 50th anniversary, I would like to recognize the many accomplishments of W.L. Gore & Associates. Their commitment to their customers and employees should be an example for all. I commend the W.L. Gore & Associates family for their commitment to the Delaware community and the nation, and I wish them all the best on this momentous anniversary.

Madam Speaker, it is my great pleasure to rise today in honor of Leon N. Weiner & Associates Inc. (LNW&AI), a company that for almost 60 years now has been accomplishing great feats and doing outstanding work for the housing industry in Delaware and surrounding areas. Today, I wish to call attention to a neighborhood renewal project this group championed. It positively impacted our community to such a degree that the readers of Affordable Housing Finance Magazine named it the Nation's best affordable homeownership development.

Leon N. Weiner & Associates Inc. was presented with this prestigious award because they had the vision, drive, prowess and compassion to take an area in need of revitalization and transform it into a true community. Less than a decade ago the Wilmington, Delaware neighborhood now known as Eastlake was home to some of the highest per capita drug and crime rates in the nation. All of that has changed since LNW&AI came in with an innovative renewal plan to construct new homes at below-market rates for neighbors. While designing this community, LNW&AI was mindful of practicality, community, affordability, safety, and aesthetics--all of which help explain the program's great success. Through the work of LNW&AI and its project affiliates, the Village of Eastlake is now seeing an unprecedented influx of residents that are inspired and committed to bettering their community and future.

I have long been a supporter of Leon N. Weiner & Associates Inc. Leon Weiner, whom I had the distinct privilege of knowing and working with while he was alive, founded the company in 1949 and made it a success. He recognized that people from every walk of life, regardless of economic circumstances, share a common need and dream of having a place to call home. His hard work and dedication to such a cause helped put thousands of people of modest incomes in homes. Furthermore, he established a rich philanthropic legacy within LNW&AI. Through my personal experiences with Leon's successors: Kevin Kelly and David Curtis, as well as the rest of the LNW&AI staff, I can assuredly say that Leon's legacy not only lives on, but thrives in the company today.

Once again, I would like to recognize Leon N. Weiner & Associates Inc. Their work at the Eastlake community is remarkable and very deserving of Affordable Housing Finance Magazine's Reader's Choice Award. They are an invaluable asset to our community and I wish them all the best now and in the future.