Political Quotes

“last week I asked students and families to share with me their experiences with student loans and college affordability, and I want to start by sharing one of those stories. It is from a young woman named Rebeckah from my home State of Washington. When she was 18, Rebeckah signed up for student loans so she could go to college, and her parents took out what are called PLUS loans to help their daughter afford it. Rebeckah worked hard in college and graduated with her degree. But now she is facing a mountain of student debt, and that is preventing her and her partner from buying a house and starting a family. Not only that, Rebeckah found out that her parents have been taking money out of their retirement savings to pay off their PLUS loans, and they have even resorted to taking a lien out on their home to pay down the debt. Rebeckah said when she enrolled in college, she was sure that getting a good education would pay off. But now, with all the overwhelming student debt, it feels as if she signed her family up for financial ruin. When I hear stories like Rebeckah's, it is clear that college costs and student debt are holding families back. I consider it to be one of my most important jobs as a Senator to make sure Washington State families have a seat at the table and a voice in our Nation's Capital, and on an issue as important as this, I am going to make sure their voices are heard loud and clear here in this Congress.…”