Providing for Consideration of H.R. 1911, Smarter Solutions for Student Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. DelBENE. I want to thank the gentlewoman for the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose this rule and discuss the importance of protecting college affordability.

One of my top priorities is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to get a high quality education and acquire the skills needed to compete in the 21st century economy.

I know personally how important this is. When I was young, my father lost his job and my parents never got back on track financially. But thanks to student loans and financial aid, I was able to get a great education and build a successful career as a businesswoman and entrepreneur.

I'm very disappointed that the proposal we are considering today makes college more expensive. If we did nothing and let interest rates double in July, we would actually save students more money in the future than if we pass the underlying bill. It's incredibly disappointing that in our work to make college more affordable, this bill instead makes the problem worse.

I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing this rule so we can work together on a long-term solution that supports our students and their families.

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