Students, working families and just about everyone besides corporate lenders were worried yesterday that Congress’ efforts to make college more affordable would be thwarted by a few senators who put the greed of banks over the needs of students. Fear no more! 

The Nelson-Burr Amendment, which would have taken about $3 billion in aid to students and given it to banks in the form of excessive subsidies, failed by a vote of 36-61. See how your senator voted here.

The Senate passed two other amendments on the higher education bill which should give students even more reason to cheer. Sen. Lisa Murkowki’s (you go Alaskan Republicans) amendment to redirect $176 million to the college access partnership grant program passed 73-24. And Ted Kennedy’s amendment to extend need-based Promise grants passed 52-45.

After Kennedy’s amendment passed, he and four other senators from the HELP Committee held a little celebratory press conference outside the Capitol with as many students as they could rally on a few hours’ notice.

In a nutshell, Kennedy said “help is on the way.”

Jeff Bingaman said this shows we’re “changing our priorities in this country.”

Bernie Sanders – my favorite Vermont Independent who occasionally needs restraining – said, “Putting money into higher education is not a cost. It is an investment.”

Patty Murray talked about how she and her six siblings became the successful individuals they are because of Pell Grants, “because this country invested in them.”

Sherrod Brown thanked the students in attendance for voting him and a “progressive majority” into office and dished out some talking points which made me proud to have a progressive majority (although its progressivism is occasionally up for debate).

Debate – and by debate I mean political grandstanding – continues right now in the Senate with more votes possible later in the day. Turn on C-SPAN to watch senators take turns saying essentially the same thing with different approaches to rhetoric – Barbara Mikulski prefers to scream until her face becomes redder than her suit while Patty Murray, my vote for most unsung senator, employs a more understated but equally persuasive style that makes you wanna scream “Tell ‘em how it is Patty!” – and to reality: Every senator talks about how important college affordability is. Every senator talks about how important it is that we invest in higher education. But certain senators seem to think that trapping students in endless cycles of debt while fattening lenders’ wallets is the way to do that.

If it were up to me, I’d blog all day about this. But I’m slated to spend most of my day in an intense free-food-grubbing competition, so until the Senate starts allowing food in the balcony, I’ll be out and about, making my presence known wherever there’s a plate of crudités for the taking.