News from Capitol Hill. . .

May 11, 2012

HOW CAN THEY GET AWAY WITH IT? SENATE REPUBLICANS BLOCK STUDENT LOAN BILL

As we have reported in recent weeks, the fixed interest rate on federal subsidized student loans, held by nearly 8 million college students, is set to double on July 1 – from 3.4 to 6.8 percent.  This week, in a very disappointing display of partisanship politics, Republican Senators blocked the “Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike of 2012” from proceeding to debate and vote.  See how your Senator voted on this procedural “cloture” votes (note that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid voted no in order to preserve his right to re-introduce the legislation at a later date).

With college students already drowning in record amounts of debt—the average student graduated in 2010 with a whopping $25,000 in student loan debt —the last thing struggling students and their families need is additional fees.  Keeping the interest rate low would save the average student over a thousand dollars.    See how many students who go to school in your state would be affected by higher interest rates, and how much they will save over the life of their loan if Congress stops rates from doubling.

Take Action Today: 

• Tell Congress to act now to stop student loan interest rates from doubling. 
• Tell us your story.  Do you have a story to share about college debt? Would you have chosen a different career if you knew your interest rates would be doubled? Are you concerned about the financial realities of sending your own children to college? If you are a current student, what would doubled loan rates mean to you? Tell us your story and you may be featured in an upcoming Education Votes article.

HOUSE VOTES TO SLASH EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, FOOD ASSISTANCE

This week, the House of Representatives approved the NEA-opposed Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act.  This dangerous budget bill makes the wrong choices for our nation – opting to place the burden for the nation’s financial crisis squarely on the shoulders of the middle class and the poor, while failing to ask anything of those most able to contribute toward economic recovery.  The package slashes funding for education, kicks hundreds of thousands of low-income students off school meals programs, cuts funding for food assistance for millions of poor families, and rolls back health care protections – including reducing the number of people covered by Medicaid (which serves one third of our nation’s children) and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.   Read NEA’s letter opposing the bill. See how your Representative voted.

Congress will continue to debate these issues, as deep cuts scheduled to go into effect in January 2013 approach.  We need to tell Congress that balancing the budget should not be done by slashing education and programs that serve our most vulnerable.  Tell Congress that we need a balanced approach that asks those most able to do so to pay their fair share.

Take Action Today: Tell Congress to make the right choice for America’s future – protect children, working families, and seniors and ensure everyone pays his or her fair share.   

CHEERS AND JEERS

Cheers to:

	President Obama, who told students at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia, “In the long run, the most important thing we can do for our economy is to give all of you and all Americans the best education possible.  That means giving more Americans the chance to learn the skills that businesses are looking for right now. And in the 21st century, it also means higher education cannot by a luxury—it is an economic imperative that every American should be able to afford.”
	Representatives Kissel (D-NC), Hanna (R-NY), Loebsack (D-IA), Graves (R-MO), and Hartzler (R-MO), who this week introduced a National Teacher Day Resolution in the House of Representatives, honoring our nation’s teachers and their dedication to their profession and their students.
	Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD), who released a video message this week thanking a high school teacher who inspired and mentored him and honoring all teachers across the nation.
	Representative Albio Sires, who honored teachers in a speech on the House floor this week, saying, “Teachers do not merely just teach in the classroom --- they listen to their students and gently push them to reach their full potential. Teachers serve as role models and mentors….While we are honoring them this week, we should be thankful for their service every day. We trust teachers with our most valuable resource--- our children.  While we ask teachers to prepare our children to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, we must give them the tools to rise to these challenges. Competitive salaries and financial resources must be provided.”

Jeers to:

Republican members of the United States Senate, who put partisan games above the needs of students and our nation by blocking legislation that would stop the student loan rate hike.