Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I greatly respect the chairman of the committee. I know of his sincerity in dealing with higher education and education in our country, but the issue is pretty simple. Without the continuation of mandatory funding as provided by current law, historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions cannot rely upon the funding source the chairman is talking about. There are going to be tough decisions that have to be made on infrastructure improvements, tough decisions on staffing, and there is no need for it. We all agree that mandatory funding should continue. I am all for permanent extension. This UC will give us the 2-year window to make sure we pass the Higher Education Act reauthorization to fund that. The issues the chairman is going to talk about are all matters that are under discussion and debate that have to be worked out between the members of his committee, the floor, and reconciliation between the House and the Senate. In the meantime, historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions will suffer. I fully support what the chairman is trying to do getting matters accomplished, but if I understand the unanimous consent he will be asking for, it doesn't deal with all the issues that need to be dealt with. We have to fully address the challenges students face with college access, affordability, accountability, and campus safety.…”