Tom Harkin: “here we are with an empty Senate Chamber, while families across the country are wondering whether they are going to have…”

“here we are with an empty Senate Chamber, while families across the country are wondering whether they are going to have to come up with more money to pay higher interest rates on student loans beginning July 1. It is going to happen unless we take action. We have tried to take action, but, frankly, my friends on the other side, the Republicans, won't even let us go to the bill. We had our vote almost 3 hours ago. We recessed for our party conferences, as we do every Tuesday. Here we sit, without being able to even proceed to the bill because the Republicans voted against closing down debate and moving to the bill and offering amendments and having an up-or-down vote. The pattern is all too familiar, as we know, over the last few years: more and more filibusters, more and more cloture motions to end the debate. It is unfair to families and students all over America. Here I address my comments to students. They are the ones who are trying to get a higher education, because they know that is the pathway, the gateway to middle-class America. Young people today know that the jobs of the future will require a higher education. They understand that. So many are scrambling to put together resources to pay for college. We had a young woman this morning, Clarise McCants, who spoke with us. She is the first in her family to go to college. She is from Philadelphia, and she goes to Howard University. She comes from a very poor background and a poor family.…”