SENATE FLOOR VOTE COMING SOON!!

Since the Republican-controlled congress amended the Higher Education Act in the 1990s, corporate lenders have been bilking student borrowers with interest rates above market standards, prohibiting them from re-financing at lower rates and imposing exorbitant collection fees when they are forced, even temporarily, into default. In addition, these high yield loans are risk-free because the federal government guarantees them, so the U.S. taxpayer picks up the tab. Senator Edward Kennedy has proposed the Higher Education Access Act of 2007 (S. 1762) to protect student borrowers from these predatory lending practices and increase Pell Grant funding for low income students. This legislation has just reached the floor of the Senate and is going up against millions of dollars in corporate lobbying. Our Senators need to hear from us this week.

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SENATE VOTE COMING SOON!! _________________________________________________________________________________________

Legislation to reduce student loan burdens and increase educational grants has finally reached the floor of the Senate. The Student Debt Relief Act has evolved into the Higher Education Access Act (S. 1762), which will likely be voted on next week. The bill would increase Pell Grant funding, tie monthly student loan payments to income levels for those experiencing economic hardship, and expand debt forgiveness to FFELP borrowers, while reducing government subsidization of corporate lender profits.

A House version of this bill, H.R. 2669, passed last week by a wide margin, which has lead to an onslaught of corporate lobbying. This has made the fate of the new Senate bill uncertain. The grassroots are going to have to be louder than the lobbyists if this bill is to remain intact.

Please call and/or email your state's senators and tell them to support the Higher Education Access Act of 2007 and urge them to adopt the interest rate reductions of the House version (H.R. 2669). You can find contact information below, listed by state. Afterward, send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and let us know you called. For more information about this legislation, click on this link for a

Alaska: Murkowski, Lisa- (R - AK) (202) 224-6665 Web Form: murkowski.senate.gov/contact.cfm Stevens, Ted- (R - AK) (202) 224-3004 Web Form: stevens.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Em...

Alabama: Sessions, Jeff- (R - AL) (202) 224-4124 Web Form: sessions.senate.gov/email/contact.cfm Shelby, Richard C.- (R - AL), (202) 224-5744 E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Arkansas: Lincoln, Blanche L.- (D - AR), (202) 224-4843 Web Form: lincoln.senate.gov/webform.html Pryor, Mark L.- (D - AR), (202) 224-2353 Web Form: pryor.senate.gov/contact/

Arizona: Kyl, Jon- (R - AZ), (202) 224-4521 Web Form: kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm McCain, John- (R - AZ), (202) 224-2235 Web Form: mccain.senate.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=Contact.Home

California: Boxer, Barbara- (D - CA), (202) 224-3553 Web Form: boxer.senate.gov/contact Feinstein, Dianne- (D - CA), (202) 224-3841 Web Form: feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactU...

Colorado: Allard, Wayne- (R - CO), (202) 224-5941 Web Form: allard.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home Salazar, Ken- (D - CO), (202) 224-5852 Web Form: salazar.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Connecticut: Dodd, Christopher J.- (D - CT), (202) 224-2823 Web Form: dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/3130 Lieberman, Joseph I.- (ID - CT), (202) 224-4041 Web Form: lieberman.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm?regarding=issue

Delaware: Biden, Joseph R., Jr.- (D - DE), (202) 224-5042 Web Form: biden.senate.gov/contact/emailjoe.cfm Carper, Thomas R.- (D - DE), (202) 224-2441 Web Form: carper.senate.gov/aemail.htm

Florida: Martinez, Mel- (R - FL), (202) 224-3041 Web Form: martinez.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactIn... Nelson, Bill- (D - FL), (202) 224-5274 Web Form: billnelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Georgia: Chambliss, Saxby- (R - GA), (202) 224-3521 Web Form: chambliss.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactU... Isakson, Johnny- (R - GA), (202) 224-3643 Web Form: isakson.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Hawaii: Akaka, Daniel K.- (D - HI), (202) 224-6361 Web Form: akaka.senate.gov/email.cfm Inouye, Daniel K.- (D - HI), (202) 224-3934 Web Form: inouye.senate.gov/abtform.html

Iowa: Grassley, Chuck- (R - IA), (202) 224-3744 Web Form: grassley.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home Harkin, Tom- (D - IA), (202) 224-3254 Web Form: harkin.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

Idaho: Craig, Larry E.- (R - ID), (202) 224-2752 Web Form: craig.senate.gov/email/ Crapo, Mike- (R - ID), (202) 224-6142 Web Form: crapo.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Illinois: Durbin, Richard- (D - IL), (202) 224-2152 Web Form: durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm Obama, Barack- (D - IL), (202) 224-2854 Web Form: obama.senate.gov/contact/

Indiana: Bayh, Evan- (D - IN) (202) 224-5623 Web Form: bayh.senate.gov/WebMail1.htm Lugar, Richard G.- (R - IN), (202) 224-4814 E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Kansas: Brownback, Sam- (R - KS), (202) 224-6521 Web Form: brownback.senate.gov/CMEmailMe.cfm Roberts, Pat- (R - KS), (202) 224-4774 Web Form: roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInf...

Kentucky: Bunning, Jim- (R - KY), (202) 224-4343 Web Form: bunning.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email McConnell, Mitch- (R - KY), (202) 224-2541 Web Form: mcconnell.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm

Louisiana: Landrieu, Mary L.- (D - LA), (202) 224-5824 Web Form: landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm Vitter, David- (R - LA), (202) 224-4623 Web Form: vitter.senate.gov/?module=webformIQV1

Massachusetts: Kennedy, Edward M.- (D - MA), (202) 224-4543 Web Form: kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm Kerry, John F.- (D - MA), (202) 224-2742 Web Form: kerry.senate.gov/v3/contact/email.html

Maryland: Cardin, Benjamin L.- (D - MD), (202) 224-4524 Web Form: cardin.senate.gov/contact/ Mikulski, Barbara A.- (D - MD), (202) 224-4654 Web Form: mikulski.senate.gov/mailform.html

Maine: Collins, Susan M.- (R - ME), (202) 224-2523 Web Form: collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=Contact... Snowe, Olympia J.- (R - ME), (202) 224-5344 Web Form: snowe.senate.gov/contact.htm

Michigan: Levin, Carl- (D - MI), (202) 224-6221 Web Form: levin.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm Stabenow, Debbie- (D - MI), (202) 224-4822 Web Form: stabenow.senate.gov/email.htm

Minnesota: Coleman, Norm- (R - MN), (202) 224-5641 Web Form: coleman.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm Klobuchar, Amy- (D - MN), (202) 224-3244 Web Form: klobuchar.senate.gov/emailamy.cfm

Missouri: Bond, Christopher S.- (R - MO), (202) 224-5721 Web Form: bond.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm McCaskill, Claire- (D - MO), (202) 224-6154 Web Form: mccaskill.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Mississippi: Cochran, Thad- (R - MS), (202) 224-5054 Web Form: cochran.senate.gov/contact.htm Lott, Trent- (R - MS), (202) 224-6253 Web Form: lott.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Email

Montana: Baucus, Max- (D - MT), (202) 224-2651 Web Form: baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue Tester, Jon- (D - MT), (202) 224-2644 Web Form: tester.senate.gov/Contact/

North Carolina: Burr, Richard- (R - NC), (202) 224-3154 Web Form: burr.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home Dole, Elizabeth- (R - NC), (202) 224-6342 Web Form: dole.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.C...

North Dakota: Conrad, Kent- (D - ND), (202) 224-2043 Web Form: conrad.senate.gov/webform.html Dorgan, Byron L.- (D - ND), (202) 224-2551E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Nebraska: Hagel, Chuck- (R - NE), (202) 224-4224 Web Form: hagel.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home Nelson, E. Benjamin- (D - NE), (202) 224-6551 Web Form: bennelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

New Hampshire: Gregg, Judd- (R - NH), (202) 224-3324 Web Form: gregg.senate.gov/sitepages/contact.cfm Sununu, John E.- (R - NH), (202) 224-2841 Web Form: www.sununu.senate.gov/webform.html

New Jersey: Lautenberg, Frank R.- (D - NJ), (202) 224-3224 Web Form: lautenberg.senate.gov/contact/ Menendez, Robert- (D - NJ), (202) 224-4744 Web Form: menendez.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm

New Mexico: Bingaman, Jeff- (D - NM), (202) 224-5521 E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Domenici, Pete V.- (R - NM), (202) 224-6621 Web Form: domenici.senate.gov/contact/contactform.cfm

Nevada: Ensign, John- (R - NV), (202) 224-6244 Web Form: ensign.senate.gov/forms/email_form.cfm Reid, Harry- (D - NV), (202) 224-3542 Web Form: reid.senate.gov/contact/email_form.cfm

New York: Clinton, Hillary Rodham- (D - NY), (202) 224-4451 Web Form: clinton.senate.gov/contact Schumer, Charles E.- (D - NY), (202) 224-6542 Web Form: schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/contact/webform.cfm

Ohio: Brown, Sherrod- (D - OH), (202) 224-2315 Web Form: brown.senate.gov/contact.cfm Voinovich, George V.- (R - OH), (202) 224-3353 Web Form: voinovich.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.... Oklahoma: Coburn, Tom- (R - OK), (202) 224-5754 Web Form: coburn.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home Inhofe, James M.- (R - OK), (202) 224-4721 Web Form: inhofe.senate.gov/contactus.htm

Oregon: Smith, Gordon H.- (R - OR), (202) 224-3753 Web Form: gsmith.senate.gov/webform.htm Wyden, Ron- (D - OR), (202) 224-5244 Web Form: wyden.senate.gov/contact.html

Pennsylvania: Casey, Robert P., Jr.- (D - PA), (202) 224-6324 Web Form: casey.senate.gov/contact.cfm Specter, Arlen- (R - PA), (202) 224-4254 Web Form: specter.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInfo.Home

Rhode Island: Reed, Jack- (D - RI), (202) 224-4642 Web Form: reed.senate.gov/contact/contact-share.cfm Whitehouse, Sheldon- (D - RI), (202) 224-2921 Web Form: whitehouse.senate.gov/contact.cfm

South Carolina: DeMint, Jim- (R - SC), (202) 224-6121 Web Form: demint.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home Graham, Lindsey- (R - SC), (202) 224-5972 Web Form: lgraham.senate.gov/index.cfm?mode=contact

South Dakota: Johnson, Tim- (D - SD), (202) 224-5842 Web Form: johnson.senate.gov/emailform.cfm Thune, John- (R - SD), (202) 224-2321 Web Form: thune.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

Tennessee: Alexander, Lamar- (R - TN), (202) 224-4944 Web Form: alexander.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home Corker, Bob- (R - TN), (202) 224-3344 Web Form: corker.senate.gov/Contact/index.cfm

Texas: Cornyn, John- (R - TX), (202) 224-2934 Web Form: cornyn.senate.gov/contact/index.html Hutchison, Kay Bailey- (R - TX), (202) 224-5922 Web Form: hutchison.senate.gov/contact.html

Utah: Bennett, Robert F.- (R - UT), (202) 224-5444 Web Form: bennett.senate.gov/contact/emailmain.html Hatch, Orrin G.- (R - UT), (202) 224-5251 Web Form: hatch.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Offices.Contact

Virginia: Warner, John- (R - VA), (202) 224-2023 Web Form: warner.senate.gov/contact/contactme.cfm Webb, Jim- (D - VA), (202) 224-4024 Web Form: webb.senate.gov/contact/

Vermont: Leahy, Patrick J.- (D - VT), (202) 224-4242 E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Sanders, Bernard- (I - VT), (202) 224-5141 Web Form: sanders.senate.gov/comments/

Washington: Cantwell, Maria- (D - WA), (202) 224-3441 Web Form: cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.html Murray, Patty- (D - WA), (202) 224-2621 Web Form: murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm

Wisconsin: Feingold, Russell D.- (D - WI), (202) 224-5323 Web Form: feingold.senate.gov/contact_opinion.html Kohl, Herb- (D - WI), (202) 224-5653 Web Form: kohl.senate.gov/gen_contact.html

West Virginia: Byrd, Robert C.- (D - WV), (202) 224-3954 Web Form: byrd.senate.gov/byrd_email.html Rockefeller, John D., IV- (D - WV), (202) 224-6472 Web Form: rockefeller.senate.gov/services/email.cfm

Wyoming: Barrasso, John- (R - WY), (202) 224-6441 Enzi, Michael B.- (R - WY), (202) 224-3424 Web Form: enzi.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInform...

Update: Recent news stories have reported corruption in the student loan industry, making legislative reform even more important. New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is investigating allegations that corporate lenders have been offering cash incentives to schools to steer student borrowers into loans more costly to students and taxpayers. A top Education Department official apparently held at least $100,000 worth of stock in a student loan company that may have substantially benefited from its ties to him. To read more, visit these links:

www.usatoday.com/money/industries/banking/2007-04-10-cuomo-student-loan-probe_N.htm www.newamerica.net/blogs/2007/04/fontana

(legacy node 87830)