Preventing Paygo Sequestration

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1868.

Since the start of the pandemic, Congress has passed several emergency COVID-19 response packages to help our communities get back on their feet. Unfortunately, as the chairman mentioned, due to technicalities in the reconciliation process, some of that progress will be wiped away unless we pass this legislation.

So H.R. 1868 is necessary to prevent the automatic, across-the-board funding cuts that will undermine our recovery. Just as the ranking member mentioned, that will happen unless we pass this bill. Many of those cuts will occur within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and Labor.

For example, the legislation before us protects student borrowers from automatic increases and loan origination fees and would increase the cost of taking out a student loan.

The bill protects TEACH Grants, which help recruit talented individuals into the classroom.

The proposal preserves funding for many of our colleges struggling to survive during the pandemic.

Passing this legislation will prevent cuts to grants that go to students whose parents made the ultimate sacrifice serving our Nation in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Finally, this bill protects Americans' access to affordable healthcare during the global health emergency.

Mr. Speaker, Congress took bold action to get our country through the pandemic by enacting the American Rescue Plan. Now we must take this final step in the reconciliation process to ensure that we do not undermine critical programs that students and families urgently need.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.

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