Political Quotes

“Thank you to my colleague for yielding. I'm so happy to be here today with my colleagues in support of preventing a drastic hike on student loan interest rates. Education truly is the key to improving our economy and ensuring a strong America for generations to come, but current barriers to higher education jeopardize those goals for too many. Education needs to be accessible to everyone, not just to those who can pay tuition out of their pocket. I'm proud to be a cosponsor of the Stop the Rate Hike Act, which will prevent a jump in student loan interest rates, but not at the expense of health care for vulnerable populations and women. Federal student loans play a significant role in improving access to education. If we allow interest rates to double on July 1, this key component of college affordability will become an increased burden on millions of students across the country who currently have student loans. The average amount of loan debt for these students is more than $23,000, and if we don't prevent this hike in interest rates, they will see their debt burden increase by an average of $1,000 just this year. Now, I'm pleased that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle recognize the importance of preserving affordable interest rates for students, but I'm disappointed in proposals that would guarantee these rates at the expense of other struggling populations.…”