Political Quotes

“I rise in support of efforts to prevent an increase in the student loan rates. For millions of Americans, education is the key to success and a better future for themselves and for their families. Workers with a bachelor's degree today earn about 70 percent more each year than those with only a high school diploma. We all want a better life for our children and for our grandchildren, and for many of them, a college education is part of achieving that goal. However, higher education carries an increasingly substantial pricetag. One of my children has already completed her higher education, both my sons are currently in college, and my youngest is preparing for her posthigh school education. I know firsthand the financial strain on both the college students and their families. The inflation-adjusted cost of college has almost tripled over the last 25 years, while median family income over the same period of time has risen only about 10 percent. Fees keep rising rapidly, soaring 8.3 percent last year at public universities and 4.5 percent at private institutions. In 2009, more than half of all public college graduates were in debt, with an average loan burden of nearly $20,000. For private college graduates, the percentage and amount of debt is even greater. The loan burden itself is substantial, and the last thing graduates need to worry about is high interest rates on these loans.…”