1999 Ron Paul 37:1 Mr. PAUL.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity
to explain why I oppose H. Con. Res.
88, which expresses the sense of the Congress
that funding for the Pell Grant Program
should be increased by $400 per grant and
calls on Congress ton increase funding for
other existing education programs prior to authorizing
or appropriating funds for new programs.
While I certainly do oppose creating
any new federal education programs, I also
oppose increasing funds for any programs, regardless
of whether or not the spending is
within the constraints of the so-called balanced
budget agreement. Mr. Speaker, instead
of increasing unconstitutional federal
spending, Congress should empower the
American people to devote more of their own
resources to higher education by cutting their
taxes. Cutting taxes, not increasing federal
spending, should be Congress’ highest priority.
1999 Ron Paul 37:2 By taxing all Americans in order to provide
limited aid to a few, federal higher education
programs provide the federal government with
considerable power to allocate access to higher
education. Government aid also destroys
any incentives for recipients of the aid to consider
price when choosing a college. The result
is a destruction of the price control mechanism
inherent in the market, leading to ever-rising
tuition. This makes higher education
less affordable for millions of middle-class
Americans who are ineligible for Pell Grants!
1999 Ron Paul 37:3 Federal funding of higher education also
leads to federal control of many aspects of
higher education. Federal control inevitably accompanies
federal funding because politicians
cannot resist imposing their preferred solutions
for perceived “problems” on institutions beholden
to taxpayer dollars. The prophetic
soundness of those who spoke out against the
creation of federal higher education programs
in the 1960s because they would lead to federal
control of higher education is demonstrated
by examining today’s higher educational
system. College and universities are
so fearful of losing federal aid they allow their
policies on everything from composition of the
student body to campus crime to be dictated
by the Federal Government. Clearly, federal
funding is being abused as an excuse to tighten
the federal noose around both higher and
elementary education.
1999 Ron Paul 37:4 Instead of increasing federal expenditures,
Mr. Speaker, this Congress should respond to
the American people’s demand for increased
support of higher education by working to
pass bills giving Americans tax relief. For example,
Congress should pass H.R. 1188, a bill
I am cosponsoring which provides a tax deduction
of up to $20,000 for the payment of
college tuition. I am also cosponsoring several
pieces of legislation to enhance the tax benefit
for education savings accounts and pre-paid
tuition plans to make it easier for parents to
save for their children’s education. Although
the various plans I have supported differ in detail,
they all share one crucial element. Each
allows individuals the freedom to spend their
own money on higher education rather than
forcing taxpayers to rely on Washington to return
to them some percentage of their own tax
dollars to spend as bureaucrats see fit.
1999 Ron Paul 37:5 In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I call upon my
colleagues to reject H. Con. Res. 88 and any
other attempt to increase spending on federal
programs. Instead, my colleagues should join
me in working to put the American people in
control of higher education by cutting taxes
and thus allowing them to use more of their
resources for higher education.
Note:
1999 Ron Paul 37:1
calls on Congress ton increase funding
probably should be
calls on Congress to increase funding.
