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Congress passes student loan-rate extension
Source: Yahoo
The House of Representatives on Friday passed a transportation bill that included an extension of the low interest rate on government-subsidized student loans, just days before the rate would have doubled.
The bill, which includes more than $100 billion in funding for highway projects over two years, extends the current 3.4 percent student loan rate for one more year at a cost of an estimated $6 billion.
The measure passed 373 to 52. All of the members who opposed it were Republicans.
The path toward passage was a bumpy one, and it looked as though the parties would not be able to find agreement on the many provisions throughout the bill.
The bill, which includes more than $100 billion in funding for highway projects over two years, extends the current 3.4 percent student loan rate for one more year at a cost of an estimated $6 billion.
The measure passed 373 to 52. All of the members who opposed it were Republicans.
The path toward passage was a bumpy one, and it looked as though the parties would not be able to find agreement on the many provisions throughout the bill.
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/house-passes-student-loan-extension-174017728.html
Came at a cost:
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/29/12483144-congress-sends-student-loan-and-transportation-package-to-obama?chromedomain=nbcpolitics&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=urbanrelations
Republicans had also insisted on including a measure to move the Keystone XL oil pipeline forward. President Obama and Democrats opposed it, though, and it was ultimately omitted from todays bill.
Instead, Republicans were able to use funds set aside for "beautification, bike paths, and sidewalk lighting" for higher priority infrastructure projects such as the national highway system instead. They were also able to keep funding at current levels.
The package also cuts the average review and permitting process for new infrastructure projects in half, done mostly by streamlining environmental reviews so they can run concurrently, something for which Republicans had also fought.
Instead, Republicans were able to use funds set aside for "beautification, bike paths, and sidewalk lighting" for higher priority infrastructure projects such as the national highway system instead. They were also able to keep funding at current levels.
The package also cuts the average review and permitting process for new infrastructure projects in half, done mostly by streamlining environmental reviews so they can run concurrently, something for which Republicans had also fought.
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Congress passes student loan-rate extension (Original Post)
Roland99
Jun 2012
OP
lark
(23,156 posts)1. Repugs blinked, America won
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)2. So, a net win for Republicans
Loan rates stay the same, environmental regs are relaxed.
One day I'd like to see environmental regs stay the same in exchange for loan rates dropping. That's the kind of thing that happened when I was a kid.
jtuck004
(15,882 posts)3. The least we could do. If that. n/t
IamK
(956 posts)4. it may have been cheaper for students to pay the extra interest....
http://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/npr/156024236/the-flip-side-of-the-federal-student-loans-deal
Not All Good News For Students
Packer says lawmakers Republicans and Democrats alike have actually made it more costly for students to borrow, and those costs dwarf whatever savings students can expect from lower interest rates.
For example, graduate students will now have to pay the interest on their loans while they're still in school. All students will have to start paying back the money they borrowed immediately after graduation the six-month grace period during which the government paid the interest is gone.
"That's disappointing because Congress shouldn't pay for one education program by cutting another in this case it's actually cutting the same one," Packer says.
That's not all, he says. Lawmakers have limited the number of semesters needy students can receive a Pell Grant and made it harder to qualify for the maximum award.
"So they've made a whole variety of changes. Overall, about $4.6 billion came out of students' pockets to pay off the federal deficit," Packer says.
Not All Good News For Students
Packer says lawmakers Republicans and Democrats alike have actually made it more costly for students to borrow, and those costs dwarf whatever savings students can expect from lower interest rates.
For example, graduate students will now have to pay the interest on their loans while they're still in school. All students will have to start paying back the money they borrowed immediately after graduation the six-month grace period during which the government paid the interest is gone.
"That's disappointing because Congress shouldn't pay for one education program by cutting another in this case it's actually cutting the same one," Packer says.
That's not all, he says. Lawmakers have limited the number of semesters needy students can receive a Pell Grant and made it harder to qualify for the maximum award.
"So they've made a whole variety of changes. Overall, about $4.6 billion came out of students' pockets to pay off the federal deficit," Packer says.
Just when I thought we were going to get a win.
I don't want to have to make interest payments while in school. Up until now it has been voluntary, but that will cut into my budget if I have to send money back to the US to pay interest.