[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8638]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1230
                      STUDENT LOAN INTEREST RATES

  (Mr. CLEAVER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the extension of student 
loan interest rates. Student loans have been an essential tool for many 
students and families who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford the 
soaring costs of college tuition. However, in a few short weeks, 
Federal student loan interest rates are set to double from 3.4 to 6.8 
percent, making the dream of attaining college even more difficult for 
millions of students and families.
  We need to act now. It is our responsibility to ensure that all 
children have the ability to pursue higher education. The cost of 
attending college has gone up almost 30 percent in the last 10 years. 
We cannot afford to ignore struggling students across this Nation. In 
these uncertain economic times, we can make no greater investment than 
in education. More and more jobs require some sort of post-secondary 
education, and by 2018, just 6 years from now, 63 percent of employment 
opportunities will demand an education beyond high school.
  It is pathological partisanship that is preventing us from dealing 
with this important issue.

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