Charles Boustany: “I rise in support of the McKeon substitute amendment, and I'm opposed to the underlying bill as it's written.…”

“I rise in support of the McKeon substitute amendment, and I'm opposed to the underlying bill as it's written. Historically, our Federal Government has limited entitlement spending to programs like Medicare and Social Security, and we're still trying to work out or trying to figure out how to make those programs solvent and sustainable. The underlying bill creates nine new entitlement programs. And knowing that entitlement programs never die, we need to admit to the taxpayers that if this passes they will be expected to kick in another 15 to $30 billion to cover the cost of these new entitlement programs starting in 2013. It also starts the precedent of creating entitlement programs for institutions and organizations. This act does little to reduce college costs and shortchanges those students who need help the most to pay for college. The bill spends less than one-third of the total savings on investing in low income students struggling to achieve their dreams of a college education. Rather than addressing the needs of our Nation's low income students, this bill spends billions of dollars on providing additional subsidies to institutions of higher education. I urge my colleagues to instead support the McKeon amendment, which would increase Pell Grants for our neediest students.”