Larson Rejects GOP False Choice on Education & Healthcare

WASHINGTON –House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (CT) released the following statement on his vote today on the false choice House Republicans are presenting the nation between keeping college affordable and providing preventative care for families:

“By taking his case directly to the nation this week, President Obama made clear that now is not the time to make school more expensive for our young people. But that’s exactly what the Republican majority voted to do in their extreme budget – asking working and middle class families to pay for new tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans by, among other things, allowing interest rates on student loans for seven million Americans to double this year.

“The good news is that House Republicans are now embracing President Obama’s plan to keep student loan rates low – saving struggling students and their families over $6 billion this year.

“The bad news, and another example of what’s entirely wrong with Washington these days, is that the Republican majority is cynically seeking to force the nation to choose between keeping college loans affordable and providing flu vaccines, or cancer and heart disease screenings for underserved children and their families.

“Just last week, House Republicans voted to give away $46 billion dollars to folks like Bain Capital, Paris Hilton, and the Kardashians without offsetting a dime. Today, they demand that we choose between education and healthcare. The hypocrisy is staggering.

“House Democrats will continue to fight for student loan fairness, but we reject this false choice. If our Republican colleagues really care about students and their families, they will work with us and the President to prevent the sharp increase in student loan interest rates in a way that doesn’t force families to decide between investing in the future through higher education and receiving the preventative healthcare services they need.”