[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 10416-10417]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      STUDENT LOAN INTEREST RATES

  (Mrs. CAPPS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, with just 5 days left until the student loan 
interest rates double, Congress must act now. If we do not, student 
loan interest rates will double overnight from 3.4 percent to 6.8 
percent.
  This will increase the cost of college for more than seven million 
students across this Nation and on the central coast of California, 
adding thousands of dollars to a student's college bill. And this will 
not only saddle students with more debt, but it will hinder our growing 
economy.
  At a time when the cost of college continues to rise, we must do all 
that we can to make college as affordable as possible for as many 
students as possible. We must keep open the doors of opportunity for 
all and, in the process, produce a well-educated workforce that will 
grow our economy.
  That's why I'm a proud supporter of legislation to keep the student 
rates at a low 3.4 percent. This legislation should be brought to this 
House floor for a vote immediately.
  Mr. Speaker, interest rates in other sectors remain low to help grow 
the economy. Why shouldn't they remain low for our students?

[[Page 10417]]

  They are our future.

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