John Yarmuth: “in this great land of opportunity, wealth should not be a prerequisite for education, and it should not be a…”

“in this great land of opportunity, wealth should not be a prerequisite for education, and it should not be a prerequisite for future success. For too many hardworking and qualified Americans, a college degree is the key to a successful career. And for millions more, that education sends them so deep into debt that raising a family is impossible. The College Cost Reduction Act will respond to this injustice with an unparalleled commitment in higher education. 140,000 students and families will save more than $200 million on tuition costs in my home State of Kentucky alone. We've heard a lot during this debate from our colleagues on the other side throwing the word around of 'entitlement' as if 'entitlement' is a dirty word. And I will grant that over the years, some entitlements have not been particularly productive, but entitlements can also be significant investments in not only human capital but in the future of this country. And in this particular instance, what we are saying is we are going to make a dramatic step not just to improve the lives of millions of young Americans, but also to make an investment in their futures and the future of this economy. And if we don't do it, the great disparity in wealth between the most wealthy people in this country and everyone else will continue to grow, and we will face an economy in which we are not developing the type of talent that will keep this country at the stature that it has always maintained.”