Department Of Labor, Health And Human Services, And Education, And Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008

Floor Speech

DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - July 17, 2007)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong support of the fiscal year 2008 Labor, HHS and Education appropriations bill that is before us today.

I would like to express my admiration and gratitude to Chairman Obey and the members of the committee for bringing forward a bill that reflects our values and our commitment to investing in education.

As the chairman of the Higher Education Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness Subcommittee, I am pleased to see the significant increases for student financial aid, for GEAR UP and TRIO programs. These investments make a real difference, and they have not come a moment too soon.

Recent reports estimate that by the year 2025, just to keep pace with our international competitors, the United States would need to produce an additional 15.6 million college graduates. That translates to another 781,000 degrees per year. GEAR UP and TRIO help close the college awareness and readiness gap.

Pell Grants and campus-based student aid programs close the affordability gap. This legislation coupled with the recently passed budget reconciliation bill signal that we are serious about ensuring that our students have the education and the skills they need to compete.

As chairman of the Education Task Force for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, I am particularly heartened to see the commitment in this bill to increase educational opportunities for Hispanic students. This legislation reverses the trend of the past of eliminating, cutting or at best flat-lining the key programs that provide the pillars of educational support to the Hispanic community. They include migrant education programs for English language learners, developing Hispanic-serving institutions, Even Start Family Literacy, GEAR UP, TRIO and adult education. Together, we call them the Hispanic education action plan.

In 2006, every single program in the Hispanic education action plan was reduced. Elections do make a difference.

For 2008, on top of the $1.5 billion increase to the core title I program in No Child Left Behind, we have over $212 million increases to the other programs, including a long overdue investment program for English language learners.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source