Sanders Votes against Higher Education Bill that Continues Republican Raid on Student Aid

Sanders Votes against Higher Education Bill that Continues Republican Raid on Student Aid

Washington DC, - Congressman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) today voted against H.R. 609, a Republican-backed higher education bill that continues the Republican leadership's raid on student aid. The measure passed 221 to 199.

Sanders said, "Just two months ago, the Republican leadership dealt a severe blow to our nation's students by slashing $12 billion in funding from federal student aid programs. Now, they are compounding the damage by passing a bill that does virtually nothing to help students in Vermont and across the country who are trying to pay for their college education. Not only does this bill do nothing to reverse the Republican leadership's draconian cuts to student loan programs, it makes matters even worse by continuing to drastically underfund Pell grants for low-income students. Once again, the Republican leadership is sacrificing the needs of lower and middle-income Americans in order to make room for tax breaks for the wealthy. Our students deserve better and I will continue to work to bring college education within reach for all students by increasing need-based aid and lessening students' loan burden."

http://bernie.house.gov/documents/document.asp?issueNum=4835