Committee on Education and the Workforce

Education Issues

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Reverse the Raid on Student Aid

Photo of students walking on college campus Over the last year, the Republican-controlled Congress dramatically cut benefits to higher education students – including a $12 billion cut from federal student aid programs to finance tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. This cut, which comes at a time when families are already struggling with rising college costs, is the largest single cut to the federal student aid program ever.

Background Information on the Republican Raid on Student Aid

Summary of the July 1st Changes to the Student and Parent Loan Programs (pdf)
June 2006 Report

The Raid on Student Aid: The Republican Raid on Student Aid Puts College Even Further Out of Reach for American Students and Families (pdf)
February 2006, Updated Report

Setting the Record Straight: The Republican Raid on Student Aid Makes College More Expensive for American Families (pdf)
November 2005, Original report

Letter from Members of Congress opposing the $14.3 billion in cuts to the student aid programs (pdf)
November 2, 2005

Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Act

Image of the Raid on Student Aid logo Democrats want to make college affordable for our students, and recently proposed legislation to cut college loan interest rates in half. To learn more about what Democrats are doing, see a background summary of the bill.

To read the full bill text of H.R. 5150, click here.

Student Loan Calculator: See How Much You Could Save!

While Congressional Republicans passed legislation making student loan repayment more expensive for students and parents, Democrats have a plan to cut loan interest rates in half. To find out how much you would save under the Democratic plan, just enter the amount you expect to borrow in student and/or parent loans and the number of years you will have to repay them in our Student Loan Calculator.