[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10872]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            PUT POLITICS ASIDE AND ACT ON STUDENT LOAN RATES

  (Mr. HULTGREN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HULTGREN. Mr. Speaker, student loan rates are set to double on 
Monday. It has been a month since the House passed the Smarter 
Solutions for Students Act that would stop this doubling of rates.
  At a time when we need to restore people's faith in government, the 
Senate adjourned last night and failed to prevent this from happening. 
This is extremely harmful to the students in Illinois and across the 
Nation. Student loan rates should not be held hostage by Members of 
Congress to advance their own political agendas.
  The House's solution takes Washington politics out of the equation 
and is a long-term fix that moves student loans to a market-based 
interest rate. It even echoes the President's plan.
  Speaking to students in my district, I have heard their concerns 
about the rising costs of education. Jeni, a student from Batavia, told 
me that she would like to expand on the education she has received at 
Northern Illinois University but is already concerned about loan 
payments when she graduates.
  She is not alone. This is a crisis that will further cripple our 
economy's recovery.
  I call on the President to step up and provide the leadership needed. 
Let's urge the Senate to act. Join the House and take Washington 
politics out of students' wallets and stand up for tomorrow's economy.

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