Political Quotes

“I rise to speak about the issue that is currently under debate; that is, student loan interest rates. For many students across this great country, the month of May marks the end of the school year and, for some, it means graduating after years of hard work and moving on to another chapter in their life. Americans have always been people who celebrate hard work and the doors that hard work open for all of us. Our country was founded on the promise that people could come here to find the opportunity to realize their dreams. So one of the most devastating consequences of the recent economy is that college students are beginning this new chapter in their lives when opportunities are harder and harder to come by. Sadly, today's college graduates are more likely to end up unemployed or underemployed and struggling with student loan debt at the same time. They are more likely to end up with those circumstances than they are to land their dream job. Unfortunately, college costs have been increasing faster than the cost of living. Sixty-five percent of graduates who got a bachelor's degree in 2010 graduated with debt. So as our economy continues to lag, stopping interest rates on subsidized Stafford student loans from doubling could provide much needed relief. That is why I am a cosponsor of legislation introduced by my colleague Lamar Alexander which extends the current 3.4-percent interest rate for an additional year. It needs to be done.…”