On the recordJune 8, 2012
Unless Congress acts in the next 22 days, the interest rate for the subsidized Stafford student loan program is going to increase from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. Despite this approaching deadline, with over 7 million college students waiting for an answer, what is the House GOP leadership's response? To send us home today for the ninth week of recess since last January. Despite the fact that the Senate will be in session next week, and as was reported in the press last night, a real bipartisan compromise is going to be emerging. But, of course, we won't be able to act on it next week because we won't be here. The next time we're on the floor, this chart will be down to 11 days until the rate doubles. Mr. Speaker, this work schedule by the Republican leadership would make Homer Simpson blush. It is time for us to go to work and find a compromise that is going to fix this issue for 7 million college students waiting for an answer all across America. ____________________
