Thursday, February 07, 2008

BECERRA'S LIBRARIAN ACT PASS WITH HIGHER EDUCATION ACT REAUTHORIZATION

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the House of Representatives voted 354 to 58 to pass H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, legislation that reauthorizes the Higher Education Act for the first time in 10 years. Representative Xavier Becerra (CA-31), Assistant to the Speaker of the House and the only congressional member from Southern California on the Ways and Means Committee, voted for the bill.

Included in H.R. 4137 is language modelled after Rep. Becerra's Librarian Incentive to Boost Recruitment and Retention in Areas of Need (LIBRARIAN) Act (H.R. 1877) that would reward librarians who work in underserved communities with student loan forgiveness, a cause he has championed for many years. It provides for loan cancellation at the rate of 15 percent for the first and second years of service, 20 percent for the third and fourth years of service and 30 percent for the fifth year of service, encouraging college students to pursue a career in library service.

"The access to education, skills training and information that libraries and librarians provide is an invaluable resource to communities suffering from neglect and economic hardship," Rep. Becerra said. "Impoverished communities are the ones most in need of good libraries staffed with the best librarians, and this bill provides an important incentive for librarians to work where they are needed most."