Click here to return to the Home page of Congressman Howard Berman's Web site
  For Immediate Release  
June 29, 2012
CONTACT: Adam Sharon
202.225.4695
 
Berman Hails Bipartisan Victory for College Students, Prevents Doubling of Student Loan Rates
Agreement ensures 7 million college students will not see education costs rise by a thousand dollars next year
Compromise results in millions of transportation and construction industry jobs preserved, including thousands in Los Angeles
 

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Howard Berman issued the following statement after the Senate and House approved a bipartisan Surface Transportation Authorization Bill that prevents college student loan interest rates from doubling and creates or saves nearly three million transportation and construction jobs.

“This is a victory for college students and their families who cannot afford a dramatic increase in their student loan rate. Our economic recovery and effort to create jobs cannot be held hostage to partisan bickering. College students and recent graduates play a vital role in jumpstarting our economy; they require our support and should not be punished for government inaction. Thanks to this compromise, middle class transportation and construction jobs will not fall victim to a legislative battle that hurts our communities. For Los Angeles, this legislation is a major step forward for the Mayor’s “30-10” Plan accelerating construction of transit programs in ten years. In our city and throughout our neighborhoods, transportation jobs translate into economic growth and these efforts must continue.”  

###

Click here to return to Newsroom