This week, the House passed the Ensuring Access to Student Loans Act, an important measure to ensure that the credit crisis does not become a student crisis. As problems in the credit markets have prompted some lenders to scale back – or stop – offering student loans, it is prudent for the government to safeguard access to student loans to ensure that students and their families have the resources they need to pay for college.
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Majority Leader Hoyer speaks at a press conference on
the impact of the Iraq war on the U.S. economy, with
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Senator Charles
Schumer, and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. |
On Tax Day, Democrats continued our commitment to making our tax code fairer and simpler by passing the Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act. This bill makes small but important reforms to our tax code. It will strengthen taxpayer protections from identity theft and tax fraud, expand assistance for low-income taxpayers, and end the private collection of federal income taxes.
As Pope Benedict XVI made his first visit to the United States, the House passed the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation, a bill he has championed that provides debt cancellation to the poorest nations in the world.
Next week, we will continue to insist on government accountability by taking up several government contracting bills. We will support small businesses with a bill to improve the Small Business Innovation Research program and the Small Business Technology Transfer program. We will also bring the Coast Guard Authorization Act to the Floor next week. In addition, we continue to work on important legislation, such as the Farm Bill, legislation addressing the housing crisis, supplemental funding for Iraq, and a budget resolution.
