[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5090]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           STUDENT LOAN DEBT

  (Ms. EDWARDS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. EDWARDS. Mr. Speaker, last week, one of our colleagues who 
represents a portion of my alma mater, Wake Forest University, stated 
that she has ``little tolerance'' for those who graduate with high 
student loan debt, based on her personal experience of working her way 
through school.
  I want to share my personal experience. I come from a military family 
of six children. My father served nearly 30 years. My parents, like 
many across this country, couldn't afford to pay for all of my college 
education. But they knew that a college education was our way to 
achieve the American Dream. And so I had to take out student loans in 
addition to scholarships and work. I took out nearly $100,000 in 
student loans from undergraduate school to graduate school, and I 
borrowed that. I only paid off my last student loan payment 1 month 
before my primary election in 2008. I was struggling as a single mother 
and meeting my other responsibilities, but I was thrilled when I made 
that last payment.
  Contrary to what's been said about those who take out student loans 
to finance their education, I'm glad the Federal Government now 
directly issues all student loans rather than through private banks.
  Comments that disparage college students and would deprive middle 
class families like mine to live their American Dream are just out of 
touch with what's happening across this country and minimize the 
lengths to which Americans seek higher education to better themselves 
and their families.
  The rungs of the ladders of opportunity must be stable and available 
to all of us--the Federal student loan program, Pell Grants, work 
study, private scholarships, and, yes, work all provide the package 
that so many of our students need for college success.

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