Summary of House Floor Action on H.R. 6, the Higher Education Act Reauthorization The House began debating its Higher Education Act reauthorization (H.R. 6) on April 29. Prior to the debate, the Administration threatened to veto the measure over its formula for reducing the interest rate on student loans and its funding levels for management of student aid programs. The Administration also said it would not accept an amendment being proposed by Frank Riggs (R-CA) to prohibit public colleges and universities from using affirmative action in admissions (see below). During the course of the debate, the Administration proposed a new compromise for reducing the interest rate on student loans. However, this compromise was not accepted, and the House passed the bill May 6 without changing its student loan interest rate provisions. The final House vote on the bill was 414-4. The bill's sponsors voiced confidence that the President would not actually try to veto a measure that had passed by such a wide margin. During its debate on the bill, the House took the following actions on amendments: Approved by voice vote an amendment by Education and Workforce Chairman Bill Goodling (R-PA) that would (1) modify the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants program to increase emphasis on partnerships between governors and other education agencies; (2) modify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to ensure the inclusion of data necessary to assist states in awarding state financial assistance; (3) establish interest rates for consolidation loans made on or after October 1, 1998; to provide borrowers with an interest rate based on the weighted average of their loans, capped at 8.25 percent; and (4) establish clear application requirements for institutions of higher education that wish to offer expanded distance education programs to students. Approved by voice vote a George Miller (D-CA) amendment to require States and institutions of higher education to report on information related to the quality of their teaching education programs and to require the information to be disseminated to students and others. The amendment would require States to identify institutions where less than 70 percent of students pass any necessary State teacher exams, and requires low performing institutions to improve. The amendment made no mention of accrediting agencies. Approved by voice vote a Mark Souder (R-IN) amendment to tighten the eligibility requirements for student assistance programs by requiring students convicted of a state or federal drug-related offense to complete successfully a drug rehabilitation program, and test negative for drug use twice before his/her assistance is reinstated. Approved by voice vote a Robert Andrews (D-NJ) amendment to require lenders of student loans to inform borrowers of income-sensitive repayment options at the time the loan is offered. Defeated 249-171 the Riggs amendment to prohibit public colleges and universities from using affirmative action in admissions. Five Democrats supported this amendment and 55 Republicans opposed it. After the vote, Robert Matsui (D-CA) stated for the record that while he had voted for the amendment, he had meant to oppose it. Defeated 227-189 an amendment by Tom Campbell (R-CA) to prohibit the exclusion of individuals from any Higher Education Act program on the basis of race or religion. The amendment would have allowed colleges to consider certain factors in determining admission to programs, and it would have opened to nonminorities HEA programs targeted to minorities. Five Democrats supported the amendment and 34 Republicans opposed it. Approved 286-134 an amendment by Tim Roemer (D-IN) and Riggs to delete a bill provision requiring institutions of higher education to report upon and justify the elimination of any sports teams four years in advance of the actual reduction. Approved by voice vote an amendment offered by Mark Foley (R-FL) to eliminate the federal prohibition on notifying the campus community when a student commits a violent crime. The amendment would allow the release of the names of students who are found guilty of committing violent crimes by university disciplinary proceedings. Approved by voice vote an amendment offered by Bob Livingston (R-LA) that expresses the sense of the House that colleges and universities should not take actions which prevent students from expressing freedom of speech or association. Approved by voice vote two amendments offered by Joseph Kennedy (D-MA). The first of these amendments expressed the sense of Congress that colleges and universities should adopt a code of principles and practices to change the culture of alcohol consumption on college campuses. The second amendment would authorize the Secretary of Education to administer grants to institutions to develop and implement alcohol and drug prevention; it also would authorize the Secretary to administer a program to recognize and award ten college programs that serve as national models of effective alcohol and drug preventive programs. Approved 393-28 an amendment by George Miller (D-CA) expressing the sense of Congress that American institutions of higher education should adopt labor codes of conduct to assure that university- and college- licensed merchandise is not made by sweatshops and exploited adult or child labor either domestically or abroad. Approved by voice vote an amendment by Dale Kildee (D-MI) to create a study to examine consolidation options for students who have borrowed loans from private sources, not including direct loans or federally guaranteed student loans. Approved 219-200 an amendment by Bart Stupak (D-MI) to authorize $5 million for each of the next five years for the program that provides college scholarships for Olympic athletes while they train. Approved by voice vote an amendment by Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) expressing the sense of Congress that colleges and universities should establish policies for identifying students with learning disabilities, specifically students with dyslexia. Defeated 112-286 an amendment by Ron Paul (R-TX) to prohibit the Secretary of Education from using Social Security numbers as the personal identifiers for loan applicants. Defeated 172-234 an amendment by Major Owens (D-NY) to create a new Postsecondary Information Technology Education Recruitment Program to provide grant funds to colleges and universities. Approved 220-187 an amendment by James McGovern (R-MA) to provide an achievement award to Pell grant-eligible students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class. Two amendments were offered and then withdrawn. One, by Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA), would have created a new title called "Teacher Excellence in America Challenge." The other, by Ralph Hall (D-TX), had to do with a specific matter involving Texas College in Tyler, Texas. --Prepared by the Association of American Universities