Education

“In the wake of ITT going out of business nationwide, we should be doing everything we can to make sure students and families are aware of the resources available to them through the Department of Education,” said Courtney. “I am pleased that the Department of Education is going to great lengths to help former ITT students move on with their education and lives. I would encourage all students who attended ITT, whether at one of the physical campuses or online, to review information available through the Department to determine if they may be eligible for relief such as student loan discharge or help with transferring earned credits to new institutions. If students are having trouble finding this information, they can contact my Norwich office and we will help point them in the right direction."

“With the cost of a college education skyrocketing, Americans across the country are demanding action to lower the crushing costs of higher education and relieve the burden of student debt,” said the members. “The challenges faced by our constituents are staggering – student loans account for $1.3 trillion in consumer debt, the highest amount of consumer debt outside of a mortgage, and the average student borrower carries nearly $30,000 in education debt. This is not just a drag on students, graduates, and their families; it’s a drag on our entire economy. When a potential borrower is burdened by student debt, it makes it that much more difficult to buy a home, start a family, or change a career.

“The news that interest rates for federal student loans will drop is a direct benefit of the 2013 Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act,” Courtney said. “The new rate of 3.76% is not just a reduction from the current rate, but is also a full 3% savings from the rate hike we blocked in 2013. For the 15 million students who rely on Stafford, this will result in thousands of dollars in savings over the life of the loan. We must continue to do more, however, to address the growing education debt crisis in this country – and this news should not be an excuse for Congress not to take the action we know is needed to address this challenge.”

“I applaud the EPA for providing much needed support to school districts across the country and right here in Eastern Connecticut to replace ageing buses that no longer meet our current standards for pollution emissions,” said Courtney. “We know now that exposure to dangerous emissions is particularly harmful to young people and with school budgets tight, this funding will make a huge difference for our local communities.”