Dan Kildee: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. I want to thank Congresswoman Susie Lee and Chairman Bobby Scott for their…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. I want to thank Congresswoman Susie Lee and Chairman Bobby Scott for their leadership on advocating for America's students. In the economy that we are in today, some kind of postsecondary training, whether it is an associate's degree, an apprenticeship program, or a 4-year program, is necessary in order to get the skills that are required in order to support a family and earn a decent living, and that is what education should be about in this country. Sadly, in order to get that education, too many young people and people transitioning into their next job are taking on mountains of debt. Student debt is now $1.3 trillion, more than credit card debt in this country. As a result, these students, these graduates, often, or some who drop out are holding back from making other necessary investments to support their families, holding back on buying a home, and holding back on starting families and putting away money for their retirement because they are so saddled with debt. One of the contributors to this huge increase in student debt has been the effect of predatory for-profit colleges. They have exploited potential students with false promises of high-paying jobs; and, particularly shameful, they have recruited the most vulnerable low- income individuals: first-generation students, veterans. They have recruited them into junk programs. Education should always be a vehicle to opportunity.…”