College: Soaring Out of Reach for Families

Robert Borosage — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 02:29:16 -0500

The dream of a college education is being priced out of reach for more and more American students and their families. Tuition is rising while wages are flat or sinking. Conservatives in Congress have responded by cutting $12 billion from federal student loan programs and raising loan interest rates for student and their parents. Conservatives in state governments have cut back funding for colleges, passing more costs to families in the form of increased tuitions and fees. See below to find out how your representative voted.

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Voting Scorecard: U.S. Senate (109th Congress)
Education Funding

Senator Name	State	Party	Stop the $12 Billion Cut to Student Loans (S.1932) ¹	Increase Funding of Pell Grants by $5.4 Billion (S.CON. RES. 83 / S. AMDT.177) ²	Increase Grant Funding by $6 billion (S.CON.RES. 83 / AMDT. 3028) ³	Increase Grant Funding (S.CON. RES.83 / S. AMDT.3048) ⁴	Grade
Sessions, Jeff	Alabama	R	N	N	N	N	F
Shelby, Richard C.	Alabama	R	N	N	N	N	F
Murkowski, Lisa	Alaska	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Stevens, Ted	Alaska	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Kyl, Jon	Arizona	R	N	N	N	N	F
McCain, John	Arizona	R	N	N	N	N	F
Lincoln, Blanche L.	Arkansas	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Pryor, Mark L.	Arkansas	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Boxer, Barbara	California	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Feinstein, Dianne	California	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Allard, Wayne	Colorado	R	N	N	N	N	F
Salazar, Ken	Colorado	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Dodd, Christopher J.	Connecticut	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Lieberman, Joseph I.	Connecticut	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Biden, Joseph R.	Delaware	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Carper, Thomas R.	Delaware	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Martinez, Mel	Florida	R	N	N	N	N	F
Nelson, Bill	Florida	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Chambliss, Saxby	Georgia	R	N	N	N	N	F
Isakson, Johnny	Georgia	R	N	N	N	N	F
Akaka, Daniel	Hawaii	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Inouye, Daniel K.	Hawaii	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Craig, Larry E.	Idaho	R	N	N	N	N	F
Crapo, Mike	Idaho	R	N	N	N	N	F
Durbin, Richard	Illinois	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Obama, Barack	Illinois	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Bayh, Evan	Indiana	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Lugar, Richard G.	Indiana	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Grassley, Chuck	Iowa	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Harkin, Tom	Iowa	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Brownback, Sam	Kansas	R	N	N	N	N	F
Roberts, Pat	Kansas	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Bunning, Jim	Kentucky	R	N	N	N	N	F
McConnell, Mitch	Kentucky	R	N	N	N	N	F
Landrieu, Mary L.	Louisiana	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Vitter, David	Louisiana	R	N	N	N	N	F
Collins, Susan M.	Maine	R	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Snowe, Olympia	Maine	R	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Mikulski, Barbara A.	Maryland	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Sarbanes, Paul S.	Maryland	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Kennedy, Edward M.	Massachusetts	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Kerry, John F.	Massachusetts	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Levin, Carl	Michigan	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Stabenow, Debbie	Michigan	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Coleman, Norm	Minnesota	R	N	Y	Y	Y	A
Dayton, Mark	Minnesota	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Cochran, Thad	Mississippi	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Lott, Trent	Mississippi	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Bond, Christopher S.	Missouri	R	N	N	N	N	F
Talent, James M.	Missouri	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Baucus, Max	Montana	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Burns, Conrad	Montana	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Hagel, Chuck	Nebraska	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Nelson, E. Benjamin	Nebraska	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Ensign, John	Nevada	R	N	N	N	N	F
Reid, Harry	Nevada	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Gregg, Judd	New Hampshire	R	N	N	N	N	F
Sununu, John E.	New Hampshire	R	N	N	N	N	F
Lautenberg, Frank R.	New Jersey	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Menendez, Robert	New Jersey	D	NA	NA	Y	Y	C
Bingaman, Jeff	New Mexico	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Domenici, Pete V.	New Mexico	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Clinton, Hillary R.	New York	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Schumer, Charles E.	New York	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Burr, Richard	North Carolina	R	N	N	N	N	F
Dole, Elizabeth	North Carolina	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Conrad, Kent	North Dakota	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Dorgan, Byron L.	North Dakota	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
DeWine, Mike	Ohio	R	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Voinovich, George V.	Ohio	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Coburn, Tom	Oklahoma	R	N	N	N	N	F
Inhofe, James M.	Oklahoma	R	N	N	N	N	F
Smith, Gordon H.	Oregon	R	Y	N	N	Y	C
Wyden, Ron	Oregon	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Santorum, Rick	Pennsylvania	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Specter, Arlen	Pennsylvania	R	N	Y	N	Y	C
Chafee, Lincoln	Rhode Island	R	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Reed, Jack	Rhode Island	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
DeMint, Jim	South Carolina	R	N	N	N	N	F
Graham, Lindsey	South Carolina	R	N	N	N	N	F
Johnson, Tim	South Dakota	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Thune, John	South Dakota	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Alexander, Lamar	Tennessee	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Frist, William H.	Tennessee	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Cornyn, John	Texas	R	N	N	N	N	F
Hutchison, Kay Bailey	Texas	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Bennett, Robert F.	Utah	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Hatch, Orrin G.	Utah	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Jeffords, James M.	Vermont	I	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Leahy, Patrick J.	Vermont	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Allen, George	Virginia	R	N	N	N	N	F
Warner, John	Virginia	R	N	N	N	Y	F
Cantwell, Maria	Washington	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Murray, Patty	Washington	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Byrd, Robert C.	West Virginia	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Rockefeller, John D.	West Virginia	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Feingold, Russell D.	Wisconsin	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Kohl, Herb	Wisconsin	D	Y	Y	Y	Y	A
Enzi, Michael B.	Wyoming	R	N	N	N	N	F
Thomas, Craig	Wyoming	R	N	N	N	N	F

¹ S.1932 provides a provision that eliminates the "accumulated shortfall" of budget authority for the Federal Pell Grant Program by cutting the budget and lowering the reserve fund for Higher Education.

² S.AMDT.177 is relative to educational funding.

³ S.AMDT.3028 supports college access and job training by restoring program cuts slated for vocational education, TRIO, GEAR UP, Perkins Loans and other student aid programs and increases maximum Pell Grant to $4,500.

⁴ S.AMDT.3048 increases the advance appropriations allowance in order to fund health, education and training, and low-income programs.

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College: Soaring Out of Reach for Families