Student loan bill goes to president
WASHINGTON—Congress gave final approval Thursday to legislation aimed at ensuring the problems in the credit markets don't prevent students from getting college loans.
The House passed the legislation in a 388-21 vote, one day after the Senate approved it. President Bush is expected to sign the measure.
"Today's vote will help ensure that students' dreams of going to college aren't sidelined by the turmoil in the credit markets," said Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chairman of the House Education Committee.
The legislation increases limits on how much borrowers can receive in federally subsidized student loans.
That should decrease student reliance on more expensive private loans. Some students have had trouble getting those nonfederal private loans because lenders have left the market in recent months due to the credit crunch.
Dozens of lenders also have stopped making loans in the federal program. However, where that has happened, other lenders have stepped in or students have received support through a smaller program in which the Education Department lends money directly to students.
"Our legislation guarantees that low cost college loans will continue to be available with government help, no matter what happens in the private loan market," said Massachusetts Democrat Edward Kennedy, chairman of the Senate Education Committee.
The legislation attempts to make it easier for parents to take out federal loans for their children's education by allowing parents to defer repayments until after their children leave school.
The legislation also nudges up grant aid to poor students and gives the Education Department the authority to buy up loans from student lenders to ensure they have access to capital and can keep issuing loans.
Bush said he was pleased by Congress' swift action because millions of students around the country could potentially benefit from the legislation.
"By granting the Department of Education greater authority to purchase federal student loans, today's action should ease the anxiety many students may feel about their ability to finance their education this fall," the president said.
