| 00:00:01 | THINGS. |
| 00:00:02 | HOW WE GOT HERE IN THE STUDENT LOAN HEAR, HEAR ARE THE FACTS, UNLIKE WHAT'S STATED BY THE PROPONENTS OF THE RULE. |
| 00:00:08 | ON JANUARY 24, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES STOOD ON THAT PODIUM AND CHALLENGED CONGRESS TO BLOCK THE INCREASE OF RATES FROM 3. |
| 00:00:14 | 4% TO 6. |
| 00:00:16 | 8%. THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY HAS DONE NOTHING OVER THE LAST THREE MONTHS TO RESPOND TO THAT. |
| 00:00:20 | NO BILL, NO HEARING, NO MARKUP. |
| 00:00:23 | AND IN FACT, PASSED A RYAN BUDGET WHICH LOCKED IN THE HIGHER RATE AT 6. |
| 00:00:28 | 8% AND DOUBLED DOWN AND WENT AFTER PELL GRANTS FOR NEEDY STUDENTS WHO NEED THOSE GRANTS TO PAY FOR COLLEGE. |
| 00:00:36 | THE POLITICS HAVE CHANGED. |
| 00:00:37 | THAT'S THE FACT. IT WOULD HAPPEN HERE. |
| 00:00:39 | AND THE SPEAKER'S REVERSAL OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS, WHICH WE WELCOME, IS NOW BEING PAID FOR BY A GROTESQUE PAY-FOR WHICH GOES AFTER WOMEN AND CHILDREN RATHER THAN GOING AFTER THE FOLKS WHO CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR IT, THE OIL COMPANIES, THE GAS COMPANIES WHO MADE $137 BILLION IN PROFITS LAST YEAR. |
| 00:00:58 | SUPPORT THE TIERNEY MOTION AND OPPOSE THIS RULE. |
| 00:01:02 | I YIELD BACK. |
| 00:01:03 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: THE GENTLEMAN FROM FLORIDA. |
| 00:01:04 | MR. |
| 00:01:05 | NUGENT: CONTINUE TO RESERVE. |
| 00:01:06 | THE SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: CONTINUES TO RESERVE. |
| 00:01:08 | THE GENTLEMAN FROM COLORADO. |
| 00:01:09 | MR. POLIS: THANK YOU, |
Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, our second President, John Adams, once said: Facts are stubborn things, and whatever may be our wishes or the dictates of our passion cannot alter the state of facts.
As to how we got here on the student loan bill, here are the facts. Unlike what was stated by the proponent of this rule, on January 24, the President of the United States stood on that podium and challenged Congress to block the increase of rates from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. The Republican majority has done nothing over the last 3 months to respond to that--no bill, no hearing, no markup. In fact, they passed the Ryan budget, which locked in the higher rate at 6.8 percent and doubled down and went after Pell Grants for needy students who need those grants to pay for college.
The politics has changed. That's the fact.
What happened here, and the Speaker's reversal over the last 24 hours, which we welcome, is now being paid for by a grotesque pay-for which goes after women and children rather than going after the folks who can afford to pay for it--the oil companies, the gas companies that made $137 billion in profits last year.
Support the Tierney motion and oppose this rule.