My Republican colleagues and I were rightly concerned this political tactic could have unintended consequences on the nation's students, higher education institutions, and our economy.

I want to pledge to you that our committee looks for ways that the federal government can provide the most effective and the most efficient services to our students.

Some are also concerned that growing default rates could be further exacerbated by the elimination of helpful services previously available through the now defunct Federal Family Education Loan Program.

I think the federal government should be very limited in its work.

The transition to the Direct Loan Program has also resulted in a decline in customer service for students and financial aid officers.

Nineteen months ago, the Democrat-controlled Congress approved a federal takeover of the student loan industry to help pay for the president's health care law.

Skills are really what students need, not just degrees, but they need skills in order to get degrees.

I commend the Department of Education for what it has done.

When I heard my colleague from Massachusetts talk about the President's jobs bill, I couldn't resist responding to it. As my colleague from Massachusetts very well knows, the President's jobs bill was defeated in the Senate. It was…

If our Nation's debt crisis has taught us anything, it's that we need a permanent spending solution to keep America the permanent land of the free. There's only one way to bind Congress to such a commitment, and that is through a balanced…

House Resolution 430 provides for a closed rule providing for consideration of H.R. 358, the Protect Life Act. I would now like to yield 2 minutes to my colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).

I yield myself 1 minute. Madam Speaker, our colleague across the aisle I think was not here earlier when we talked about the fact that the jobs bill, which he says has overwhelming support by the American people, was introduced by request…