Tom Harkin: “last month I introduced the Commonsense Middle-Class Tax Relief Act which embodies the principles outlined in this…”

“last month I introduced the Commonsense Middle-Class Tax Relief Act which embodies the principles outlined in this sense-of-the-Senate resolution offered by the Senator from Minnesota. I enthusiastically support the pending amendment. Too many hard-working families in Iowa and across the country are worried about a lot of things--and of paramount concern is their ability to pay for college, for their children and for themselves. Families are struggling to pay the college tuition bill and student debt is soaring. Middle-income families need a break. The 1992 median income for families with children in Iowa was $35,100. Right now it costs $6,108 to pay tuition, fees, and room and board for a year at the University of Iowa. The cost is about the same at Iowa State. There is no doubt the average working family in Iowa is having great difficulty paying for 4 years of college for their children. But these families know that the key to a better future for their families is intricately linked to a good education, including college and vocational training. Therefore, they are doing whatever they can to send their kids to college. And for many, that means accumulating big debts to pay for those educations. Over the past decade and a half, college aid in the form of grants has decreased and has been replaced by an increased reliance on loans. The cost of attending the University of Northern Iowa is about $5,700.”