FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2009
Contact: Katie Andriulli
Campus Progress
202-481-8238
kandriulli@americanprogress.org
Campus Progress Joins Speaker Pelosi, Congressman Miller in Fight to Pass Student Aid Bill
Legislation Represents Largest Ever Investment in Higher Education
WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, Campus Progress and other student advocacy organizations joined with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Rep. George Miller (D-CA), Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, to highlight the student debt crisis and rally support for the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (HR 3221), an unprecedented student aid bill that would boost grant aid by $40 billion. The House is expected to vote on the legislation this week.
“This landmark bill represents the largest ever investment in higher education, and comes at a time when college is becoming dramatically less affordable,” said Pedro de la Torre III, Advocacy Senior Associate at Campus Progress. “The reality is that higher education has become prohibitively expensive for too many talented young people. Additionally, the number of students graduating from college with more than $25,000 in student loan debt has grown almost five fold over the last twelve years. Through strengthening the Pell grant, investing in community colleges and minority serving institutions, and other measures, this legislation ensures that more young people will have the opportunity to attend college, gain skills that will boost our economy, and ease their own debt burdens.”
By cutting wasteful handouts to student loan companies and reinvesting the $87 billion in savings in making college more affordable and accessible, the bill would also make the financial aid system more efficient, and expand educational opportunity without contributing to the federal deficit.
In support of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, Campus Progress has launched Students Over Banks (studentsoverbanks.org), a campaign to educate young people about proposed reforms, and help them make their voices heard. In addition to providing young people with information about the legislation, the website offers profiles of some of the worst actors in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), ways to take action online, and the latest news on college affordability issues. The campaign also features a video PSA which will be shown online and in select television markets in the coming weeks.
This Wednesday, Campus Progress, the United States Student Association, and the United States Public Interest Research Group are also hosting a national “Wall of Debt Day of Action.” During the day of action, college students on 100 campuses across the country will build debt walls, and take them to their local congressional offices. Students are also encouraged to get involved online by signing Facebook petitions. The petitions have over 40,000 signatures in total, and at least 10,000 students are expected to join in the action on the ground.
For more information, or to speak to Campus Progress higher education spokesperson Pedro de la Torre III, please contact Katie Andriulli at 202-481-8238, or kandriulli@americanprogress.org.
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Campus Progress is the youth division of the Center for American Progress, a nonpartisan, nonprofit progressive organization. Through programs in activism, journalism, and events, Campus Progress helps young people make their voices heard now on issues that matter, and works with young leaders and organizations nationwide to build a strong, united progressive movement that can bring long-term positive change. Campus Progress runs a daily web magazine, CampusProgress.org; supports student publications on 50 campuses; supports local and national youth issue campaigns; and has held over 700 events and film screenings. For more information, please visit Campusprogress.org.
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