Student Loans May Be Cut in Health Pairing
Issue date: 3/16/10 Section: News
WASHINGTON, March 13 (UPI) -- Senate Democrats are poised to cut billions from a House-passed student loan bill, gutting one of U.S. President Obama's top education initiatives, sources say.
The Hill newspaper said the cuts must come if the student loan legislation is paired with a healthcare reform measure in the reconciliation - up or down vote - process.
Senate sources and education lobbyists expect the Senate will cut about $10 billion for community colleges, the report said.
"The magnitude of the impact on community colleges of not funding this program cannot be overestimated," David Baime, vice president for government relations at the American
Association of Community Colleges, told the Washington newspaper. "The president has been talking about this since last July and colleges are deeply invested in this program."
When he introduced the funding in July to a cheering crowd in Michigan, Obama said, "Today I'm announcing the most significant down payment yet on reaching the goal of having the highest college graduation rate of any nation in the world."
The Hill reported Democratic sources and industry lobbyists also believe senators will cut $8 billion targeted to improve early education programs and $3 billion to help high school students stay in school and graduate.
The Hill newspaper said the cuts must come if the student loan legislation is paired with a healthcare reform measure in the reconciliation - up or down vote - process.
Senate sources and education lobbyists expect the Senate will cut about $10 billion for community colleges, the report said.
"The magnitude of the impact on community colleges of not funding this program cannot be overestimated," David Baime, vice president for government relations at the American
Association of Community Colleges, told the Washington newspaper. "The president has been talking about this since last July and colleges are deeply invested in this program."
When he introduced the funding in July to a cheering crowd in Michigan, Obama said, "Today I'm announcing the most significant down payment yet on reaching the goal of having the highest college graduation rate of any nation in the world."
The Hill reported Democratic sources and industry lobbyists also believe senators will cut $8 billion targeted to improve early education programs and $3 billion to help high school students stay in school and graduate.
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