[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 12, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H1783]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    STUDENT LOAN DEFERMENT FOR ACTIVE RESERVISTS AND NATIONAL GUARD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ryan) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I rise to discuss the legislation 
that I introduced yesterday, the Active Reservists and National Guard 
Student Loan Relief Act of 2003. The purpose of this act is to ease the 
financial burden shouldered by our many Reservists and members of our 
National Guard who have been called to active duty.
  Right now, there are approximately 180,000 Reserves and National 
Guard members deployed in the United States and abroad. My legislation 
is a promise to the members of the National Guard and Reserves that 
their student loans will be taken care of while they are called to 
protect and fight for our country.
  For members of the Reserves and the National Guard, being called to 
active duty often means a drastic cut in pay. This legislation will not 
eliminate that burden, but it will reduce the financial obligations 
placed on these brave men and women during their time of active 
service.
  The legislation is quite straightforward. Specifically, it assists 
members of the National Guard and Reserves who have been called to 
active duty in two ways. It allows those members to defer their student 
loans while on active duty, and it subsidizes the accruing interest on 
those student loans which have been deferred.
  The act effectively gives eligible servicemembers the same status 
that they had when they were students; and this will ensure that they 
do not return to student loans, after serving their country, that are 
larger than when they were called to serve. This is critically 
important legislation because it helps our Nation's men and women who 
have left their jobs, often in higher salaries, to serve in this time 
of crisis.
  One example is a gentleman, first lieutenant from Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania, who has $50,000 in student loans. He has a master's 
degree in information systems, and he was called to active duty on 
January 2, 2003, for 1 year of service. This particular piece of 
legislation would save this gentleman approximately $2,600 this year in 
total interest. When we talk about families who have student loans, 
mortgages, car payments, this $2,600 will provide some peace of mind, 
while they are also taking a cut in pay, to hopefully allow them to 
focus on their duties abroad.
  Congress must support our men and women who have been called to 
active service. This is a benefit that our troops enjoyed under the 
first President Bush during Operation Desert Storm, and it should be 
promised to our troops today and for the future. I urge Members to 
support this legislation, and thank the strong bipartisan support that 
we have already received.

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