Passage of the Higher Education Technical Amendments of 1979 (H.R. 4476) is recommended in this report submitted to the House of Representatives by the Committee on Education and Labor. This legislation would make technical and conforming changes in the student financial assistance programs and provide a one year extension of those programs that expire at the end of fiscal 1980. A change in the ceiling on the special allowance paid to lenders under the Guaranteed Student Loan Program is urged to avoid a substantial decline in available loans. The limitation on carry over of surplus funds in the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant Program would be waived with the passage of this legislation. Provisions that will reduce student loan defaults and facilitate the recovery of defaulted funds are also contained in the bill. This report suggests that these changes are necessary to insure that 700,000 independent students will receive the full Basic Grants for which they are eligible as a result of provisions in the Middle Income Student Assistance Act. Background letters and other information, an extensive review of the components of the bill, and changes in existing law that would occur due to H.R. 4476 are examined. (SF)