XXXX Opposed Making Tuition Deductions Permanent. XXXX on May 22, 2001, voted against the Levin amendment to H.R.1836, which was an amendment to speed-up the phase-in of college tuition tax deductions, with the change offset by a reduction in the cut in the top tax bracket. [HR 1836, Vote 152, 5/22/01] XXXX Opposed Reducing Estate Tax Cuts to Increase Student Loan Tax Credits. XXXX, on May 17, 2001, voted against the Schumer amendment to H.R.1836, which was an amendment to increase the higher education tax deduction from $5,000 to $12,000 for single filers with income below $65,000, single heads of households under $90,000, and joint filers with income below $130,000, and to increase the student loan tax credit from $500 to $1,000 for single filers earning up to $35,000, and joint filers earning up to $70,000, with these tax cuts offset by a reduction in the estate tax rate cut in the underlying bill. [HR 1836, Vote 114, 5/17/01] XXXX Voted Against Increasing Spending To Prepare Students For College. In 2000, XXXX voted against an amendment that would increase spending on the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness For Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) program to $325 million (equal to the amount requested; current-year funding is $200 million; this bill will provide $225 million). No offsets would be provided to pay for the extra $100 million in spending. The motion was rejected, 47-52. [Vote 156, 6/28/00] XXXX Voted Against Increasing Pell Grant Award to $3,700. In 2000, XXXX voted against an amendment that increases the amount spent on Pell higher education grants by increasing the maximum Pell grant award to $3,700. The cost of this change would be $1.4 billion per year. The amendment was agreed to, 51-49. [Vote 69, 4/7/00] XXXX Voted Against Increasing Pell Grant Funding With $1.2 Billion In Cuts From ESA Tax Breaks. In 2000, XXXX voted against deny education savings account tax relief and instead increase mandatory spending by $1.2 billion for the Pell Grant Program, in order to increase the maximum annual grant from $3,300 to $3,700. The vote was on waiving the Budget Act for the consideration of the Bingaman amendment to the Affordable Education Act of 1999. [Vote 29, 3/2/00] XXXX Voted Against Reducing Federal Student Loan Fees. In 1998, XXXX voted against the Harkin amendment to S.1882, which was an amendment to reduce the federal student loan origination and insurance fee from four percent of the principal amount of the loan to three percent of the principal amount. The amendment would pay for the reduction by eliminating a subsidy to student loan insurance agencies. Proponents of the amendment argued that these agencies would still be profitable, while opponents said it would drive some of them out of business. [Vote 194, 7/9/98] XXXX Voted Against Revising Laws to Aid Student With Loan Fees. In 1997, XXXX voted against a motion to waive the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to permit consideration of the Kennedy amendment to S.947, which was an amendment to reduce the federal student loan origination and insurance fee from four percent of the principal amount of the loan to two percent of the principal amount. The amendment would pay for the reduction by eliminating a subsidy to student loan insurance agencies. Proponents of the amendment argued that these agencies would still be profitable, while opponents said it would drive some of them out of business. [Vote 126, 6/25/97] VOCATIONAL TRAINING XXXX Cast Deciding Vote Against Increasing Spending On Vocational Education By $3.6 Billion. On March 25, 2003, XXXX voted against an amendment that would have increased spending on vocational education by $326 million in fiscal 2004 and by $3.6 billion over 10 years. XXXX cast the deciding vote on the measure, which was rejected 49-50. [Vote 98, 3/25/03] XXXX Voted Against Increasing After-School And Vocational Programs By $24 Billion Over 10 Years. On March 25, 2003, XXXX voted against increasing spending on after-school and vocational programs in the FY 2004 budget resolution by $2.2 billion in fiscal 2004 and by $24 billion over 10 years. [Vote 99, 3/25/03] 70