Orrin Hatch: “While I recognize that the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, HELP, is overwhelmed in…”

“While I recognize that the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, HELP, is overwhelmed in addressing the needs associated with the Hurricane Katrina recovery, the Higher Education Act, HEA, is set to expire on September 30, 2005. I am concerned that with the extension of the HEA until December 31, 2005, we may be sending a signal that we are not planning on acting on the HEA reauthorization bill in the near future. I would like to know if my friend, the chairman of the HELP Committee, could give me his assurance he still intends to make passage of the permanent reauthorization a priority in the next few weeks?”