Heidi Alexander: “reserving the right to object--and I will object--I am disappointed that my colleagues are offering such a short-term…”

“reserving the right to object--and I will object--I am disappointed that my colleagues are offering such a short-term, piecemeal approach toward resolving the problems of our historically Black colleges and minority-serving institutions, when I have repeatedly offered a much better idea, and they have blocked it. I will offer it again in just a moment. I know the Senator from North Carolina is here to speak on the same subject. Compared to what I have offered, they are offering a short-term, 2- year, budget gimmick-supported idea that will have a difficult time passing the Senate. What I have offered and they have blocked is permanent funding of historically Black colleges and minority-serving institutions--permanent funding--at the level of $255 million a year, properly funded. That is No. 1. There is assurance from the U.S. Department of Education that every single historically Black institution--there are 97 of them--have enough funding to go until next October. Even the Senate ought to be able to do its job in that period of time. At the same time, I have offered the Alexander-Jones bill offered by the distinguished Senator from Alabama, which would simplify the Federal aid application form called the FAFSA for 8 million minority students, among 20 million families in this country.…”