I rise today to speak on behalf of the Kennedy amendment to S. 1664. I support the Kennedy amendment because it would protect the multitudes of students who are eligible for Federal student aid under title IV of the Higher Education Act. Under current law. only legal immigrants are eligible to receive Federal financial aid to attend college. However. provisions in the bill that stands before us today would require that for Federal programs where eligibility is .based on financial need. the income and resources of the sponsor of a legal immigrant would be deemed to be the income of the Immigrant. Simply put. the resources of an immigrant student would be artificially inflated. therefore. most legal immigrants would not qualify for Pell grants or student loans. I have always sought to expand educational opportunities for the students of this country. To my mind. any person with the desire and talent should be afforded the opportunity for at least 2 and possible 4 years of education beyond high school. The students that have legally immigrated to this country should not be excluded from the vast opportunities that a higher education can provide them. Half of the college students in this country rely on Federal grants or loans to help pay for college. Student aid more than pays for itself over time. A college graduate earns almost twice what a high school graduate earnsand pays taxes accordingly. Denying a postsecondary education to economically disadvantaged legal immigrants is profoundly unfair and economically shortsighted. Legal immigrants pay taxes and can serve in the military. Legal Immigrants also contribute significantly to the national economy. For these reasons I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of the Kennedy amendment. therefore. eliminating the deeming requirements as they apply to Federal student aid programs.
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