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January 17, 2007
Jaime Zapata
202/879-4458
jzapata@aft.org
Statement by Edward J. McElroy,
President of the American Federation of Teachers,
on Passage of H.R. 5, The College Student Relief Act of 2007
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the U.S. House of Representatives showed it recognizes that making college accessible begins with making it more affordable. Instead of giving tax breaks to the rich, Congress is rightly supporting the needs of working families. We applaud this effort.
The College Student Relief Act will cut the interest rates of federally subsidized loans in half for undergraduate college students. That will open countless educational opportunities for those who need our support most, and it will promote a healthier future for our country.
Today’s vote is an important step. We at the American Federation of Teachers look forward to building on this accomplishment with members of the 110th Congress. And we stand ready to tackle other equally important measures, particularly our goal of increasing the maximum Pell Grant to $5,100.
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The AFT represents 1.3 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers, paraprofessionals and other school support employees, higher education faculty, nurses and other healthcare workers, and state and local government employees.
