[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13143]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 2, 2013

  Ms. LEE of California. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, July 31, 2013, I 
cast a ``no'' vote on the Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to 
H.R. 1911--Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013 (roll call 
vote 426). While I was pleased that there was a bipartisan effort to 
maintain low interest rates on subsidized student loans, unfortunately 
this compromise will ultimately increase interest rates on all Federal 
Direct Loans, including subsidized loans. As a proud original co-
sponsor of H.R. 1979, the Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act, I believe 
students should be allowed to borrow funds at the same low rate that 
banks borrow from the Federal Reserve. It's essential that our students 
come out of college with not only good skills, but without the burden 
of manageable debt so that they can get good jobs and truly thrive. I 
look forward to working to make college more affordable and financial 
aid more accessible for students.

                          ____________________