Kay Bailey Hutchison: “I have seen first hand how much of an impact HSI grants can have to a small, struggling junior or community college. It…”

“I have seen first hand how much of an impact HSI grants can have to a small, struggling junior or community college. It can very often make the difference between being able to offer a degree or degree program for the institution's students. Madam President, I thank and commend the chairman of the subcommittee for his and for Senator Specter's always exceptional efforts at crafting a bill that makes the difficult choices we must make each year, while managing to maintain significant increases in overall funding levels for key areas of national need, including education and health funding. However, I understand the Senate committee-reported bill now on the floor contains a funding level that represents a slight increase over the 2001 fiscal year appropriation amount for the Title V HSI program, but one that is below the House committee-reported funding level of $81.5 million. I further understand it is the chairman's intent to recede to this higher House funding level during conference proceedings with the House. Is that correct?”