Got this by email - time is short to contact your Representative and help protect student loans. No Child Left Behind my ass. More like no bank left behind.
On February 1, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on S. 1932, the Conference Report on Budget Reconciliation. This legislation cuts $12.7 billion from the student loan programs, with the majority of that amount affecting students and families through fixed interest rates and a required guarantee fee. Now is the time for you to help your Representative understand how these changes will affect your students and other students in his or her district.
The $12.7 billion in savings is the largest reduction in student assistance ever. This amount is over one-quarter of the savings in the entire Reconciliation bill. Some loan reforms may be necessary; however, S. 1932 cuts too deeply. While the lending community shares in these reductions, a very large percentage of the total cuts or increases in fees will be paid by students. At a minimum, their loan burdens will grow. At worst, their educational opportunities will be severely constrained. Instead of using the savings for improved student aid benefits, the bill directs the savings to be used for federal deficit reduction.
We believe that many Representatives did not appreciate the full impact of the student loan cuts when this measure was originally considered. The volume of material and the timing of the vote made a thorough study of the details of this bill very difficult. With the vote coming up in two weeks, we have one last chance - however slim - to defeat this measure.
The votes on Reconciliation have been very close. On December 19, the bill narrowly passed the House on a 212-206 vote with no Democrats supporting the bill and nine Republicans joining the Democrats in opposition. Early on December 21, Vice President Cheney cast the deciding vote on the Senate floor after Senators split evenly on approval of the measure. Before the final vote, however, Senators opposing the bill were able to invoke a parliamentary procedure that made necessary the second House vote and gives us this chance to change the outcome.
Now is the time to take action to defeat this legislation. We encourage you to call or e-mail your Representative in his or her district office before January 30. After that date, your Representative will be back in Washington, so direct late comments to the Congressional office, but remember the vote is scheduled for February 1. Even better: share your views with both the district and Congressional offices. If your Representative voted against the December bill, I suggest you offer your thanks and urge continued opposition to the bill next month. If your Representative voted for the bill, please explain the importance of voting against the bill this time. You can see how your Representative voted on the 212-206 vote at
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll670.xml. To get contact information, go to
http://www.house.gov. Type in your zip code for a link to your Representative. You'll find the district office and the Washington office information listed on your Representative's Web page or under a "contact" button there.
The message is simple: S. 1932 takes too much from the student loan programs and makes students and parents pay for it, hitting families at all income levels. Urge your Representative to vote against this legislation on February 1.
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