Timothy H. Bishop: “I rise in support of S. 3035, a bill to temporarily extend programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965. At the…”

“I rise in support of S. 3035, a bill to temporarily extend programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965. At the beginning of February, the House took the next step in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act in passing H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act. Now we find ourselves in the final phase in completing the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act as we work towards a compromise bill with the Senate to ensure that the doors of college are truly open to all qualified students. It is our goal to ensure that a final bill encompasses the major issues addressed in H.R. 4137, including skyrocketing college prices, a needlessly complicated student aid application process, and predatory tactics by student lenders. The bill under consideration today, S. 3035, will extend the programs under the Higher Education Act until June 30, 2008, to allow sufficient time for final deliberations on the two bills reported out of the respective chambers. It has been nearly 10 years since the Higher Education Act was last reauthorized, and I believe Members on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers are anxious to complete work on a compromise bill in this Congress, and we believe it can happen.”