Several Senate Democrats tweeted today during the @SenateDems Twitter Townhall that students in schools at their respective state’s universities are suffering from the student loan rate hike. This is hugely hypocritical, considering that the Senate has failed to pass any sort of bill to avoid the student loan rate hike, while the GOP House has already passed a plan that would do just that.
Even funnier is that a LOT of the colleges in these Democrats’ states have PRAISED the GOP’s plan. Check out this May letter from the American Council on Education, which represents hundreds of schools across the country, thanking the House GOP for “moving so swiftly to address the looming increase.” They note the Republicans’ plan contains “multiple provisions that we support.” Here’s the list of schools that belong to the ACE, and a list of members of the Association of American Universities, which was also represented in ACE’s letter – check out the below tweets from Senate Democrats, who should probably check their facts before they tweet.
Yeah, I know how crazy that sounds. There’s a first time for everything.
In 2011-12, 82,227 students at UW System’s 26 colleges & universities had $356 million worth of Stafford Loans. #dontdoublemyrate
— Sen. Tammy Baldwin (@SenatorBaldwin) July 9, 2013
RT @brianschatz I co-sponsored the Keep Student Loans Affordable Act so HI students aren’t punished for Congress’ inaction #DontDoubleMyRate — Senator Brian Schatz (@SenBrianSchatz) July 9, 2013
A post-secondary education is critical for thousands of students and their families in New Mexico. #DontDoubleMyRate — Martin Heinrich (@MartinHeinrich) July 9, 2013
A student loan rate hike would harm students across #IL, including 11,172 students at Illinois State University. #DontDoubleMyRate
— College Dems of IL (@CollegeDemsofIL) July 9, 2013
By the way, Illinois State is on the ACE list.
Not only have Senate Democrats not even passed a plan, but universities in their states have come out in support of the House Republicans’ plan. It’s a lose-lose for Democrats today.
Students and parents who don’t want to see their interest rates jacked up should be on the phone telling Harry Reid to get going and follow the House Republicans’ plan.
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