[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 7904]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY

  (Mr. CARNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the urgent need to 
make college more affordable. As the father of a rising college 
freshman, I have renewed appreciation for the astronomical cost of 
college.
  On July 1, the problem will get even worse. Interest rates on Federal 
student loans are set to double; and that's why I cosponsored the 
Student Loan Relief Act, which would extend the current, lower rates 
for 2 more years.
  Last month, I voted against a proposal that would have increased 
rates with the extra money raised going to the Federal Government. 
Balancing the budget on the backs of our college students is just plain 
wrong.
  The amount of money Americans owe in student loans is greater than 
the amount we owe in credit card debt. This is a serious problem with 
serious consequences, and it's getting worse.
  The future of our country, we know, depends on the ability of our 
young people to compete in this global economy. This means making it 
easier to go to college, not harder.
  I urge my colleagues to support legislation that will keep interest 
rates low and make college more affordable.

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