Student Loan Options Are Not Yet Dead
Congressional Leaders Tell College Presidents Bipartisan Student Loan Extension Can Still Pass Congress
Tuesday, December 15, 2009Craig Orfield (Enzi) 202-224-6770
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and U.S. Reps. John Kline (R-MN) and Brett Guthrie (R-KY) today wrote college and university presidents regarding their legislation that would preserve critical student loan options for another year. The Members are working to extend the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFEL) which has successfully helped millions of Americans realize the dream of a college education since 1965.
“Contrary to recent statements made by the Department of Education, the elimination ofthe FFEL program is not imminent,” wrote the Congressional leaders. “There remainswidespread, bipartisan support in Congress to continue the FFEL program during thesedifficult times.”
In late November, Enzi, Alexander, Kline and Guthrie introduced S. 2796/H.R. 4103, abipartisan, one-year extension of the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Actof 2008 (ECASLA).
The letter seeks to remind college and university presidents that bipartisan support doesexist in Congress for choices and options for students and parents through the federalloan program, as well as assure them that Congress can act quickly to enact anextension of ECASLA, as Congress has in the past.
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