Contact: Julie Green (202) 401-3026
Jane Glickman (202) 401-1307
One of the hallmarks of the Clinton Administration's education policy has been our determined effort to help families and students pay for college and have greater access to higher education. I am pleased the Senate took a step forward last night to further efforts to make college affordable and accessible for all Americans who work hard and make the grade. The bill approved by the Senate will: save students billions of dollars by adopting the President's proposal to lower student loan interest rates; improve teacher quality, training and recruitment; promote high quality distance learning efforts; help disadvantaged students prepare for college; and create the federal government's first-ever performance based organization for the delivery of student aid.
I still have serious concerns about the excessive taxpayer subsidy to lenders and cuts that would jeopardize the delivery of student aid in this bill and I will continue to work to improve this legislation as it moves to conference so that all Americans have access to a high quality postsecondary education.