We can clearly see that the Democrats truly are the party of the
working class and majority of Americas. What a glimpse of Democracy we see in
the workings of congress. What a refreshing feeling. We have had so much
shock and awe, that this is a great feeling to finally have a Demcoratic Party
and its leaders get busy for America.
Senator Kennedy has a terrific bill with Republican Gordon Smith for a
Student Aid Act, which will surely take American students farther in a
fashion they can afford.
Please sign and support Kennedy's student aid act for Congressional passage.
Senator GordonSmith (R - oregon) is working hand in hand in order to get this
much needed Student Aid.
Theresa J. Steed
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
*****************************************************************************
Thu, 15 Feb 2007 13:11:02 -0500
"Theresa J. Steed" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
From: "Sen. Ted Kennedy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> View Contact Details Add
Mobile Alert Subject: Do-Something Democrats [input] [input] [input]
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Dear Theresa J.,
Last year, the Republican House and Senate earned the title of the Do-Nothing
Congress.
They stayed mute as the war raged in Iraq. They refused to raise the minimum
wage. They took more time off in Congress last year than in any year since 1948!
Now the Do-Something Democrats are in charge. Step by step, we want to put
this country back on track.
Tomorrow, I'm holding a hearing on the soaring costs of higher education and
student debt. It's one part of our overall effort to reform the student loan
program and make college affordable for every American. Show your support and
spread the word:
http://www.studentloansanity.com
Republicans have let tuition rates for college skyrocket out of control, with
no relief from the massive debt that students and their families are racking
up. It's time to fix the system.
I've introduced the Student Aid Reward Act to require federal student loan
programs to compete for colleges' business. This Act will lower student loan
rates and produce $13 billion in savings to be reinvested in federal
scholarships and fellowships. It won't cost taxpayers a dime.
The STAR Act is just one part of the Student Debt Relief Act, a broad bill to
reduce interest rates on student loans by half, raise the maximum Pell Grant to
$5100, put a ceiling on loan repayment at 15% of discretionary income, and
allow expanded debt forgiveness after ten years of public service employment.
Support the STAR Act and the Student Debt Relief Act now:
http://www.studentloansanity.com
The decision to attend college is being held hostage today by bankers,
special interests, and politicians. That has to change. College should be a
basic right for every American, not just an expensive privilege for the few.
For America to compete in the new global economy, we need to give our
students the support they need to succeed -- beginning in early childhood and
continuing on through college and beyond.
Our nation, our students, and our families all need your support. The
do-nothing approach to college affordability can't be allowed to go on.
Take a minute to tell Congress how you feel about college affordability.
http://www.studentloansanity.com
Last week, the Senate voted to raise the minimum wage. In the coming days,
we'll push again for a Senate vote on the Iraq resolution.
But right now, too many of our best and brightest can't afford to go to
college. You and I can do something about it. Let's do it.
Sincerely,
Senator Edward M. Kennedy
PS: Yesterday, Roll Call wrote an article about our efforts to bring the
American people's agenda forward in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Committee. I thought you might like to read it:
Chairman Kennedy Carries the Ball
February 14, 2007 By Emily Pierce, Roll Call Staff
As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) seeks to finish up the
Democrats' initial, and much ballyhooed, legislative priorities over the next
few weeks, Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Edward Kennedy
(D-Mass.) is plowing full-speed ahead with the broader Democratic playbook on
health and education issues.
"We're almost prepared to move beyond the [2006 campaign] agenda and deal
with stuff moving through committee," Reid spokesman Jim Manley noted of the
first handful of bills that Democratic leaders promised to pass as their first
order of business in the 110th Congress.
And Manley, a former Kennedy press aide, indicated that Kennedy's proposals
would be some of the most popular among Democrats, because, "There's been a
pent-up demand in [the HELP] committee for action on some of these key things
for the country. Sen. Reid looks forward to working with Sen. Kennedy to get
these proposals to the floor as quickly as possible."
Indeed, Kennedy's agenda includes much of what Democrats have been pushing
for on health care and education in recent years -- including such perennial
favorites as lower college costs, improved early childhood education, mental
health parity and Food and Drug Administration regulation of tobacco.
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Edward Kennedy, seen
here Tuesday with his sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver, hopes to pull in GOP and
business support for parts of his wide-ranging legislative agenda.
"That's just this week," said Kennedy spokeswoman Melissa Wagoner of
Kennedy's topics du jour. "This is the pace we're going to be at. There's a lot
more that we want to do."
But this time, Democrats actually control the majority in Congress, so
passage of many HELP measures through both chambers appears a real possibility
this year.
Today, for example, the committee will vote on a long-standing Democratic
priority -- a bill to require health insurers who cover mental illnesses to pay
for psychiatric treatments at the same rates they would for physical ailments.
On Monday, Kennedy and HELP ranking member Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) announced that
they had reached a long-sought compromise on the legislation.
The panel also will act on a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the early
childhood "Head Start" program today.
In fact, Kennedy is touting a different item each day this week. On Monday,
in addition to the introduction of the mental health parity and the Head Start
bills, Kennedy unveiled a measure to force livestock farmers to end the
non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in animals, unless they can prove the drugs
pose no danger to public health.
On Tuesday, Kennedy introduced a portion of his broader higher education
agenda -- a measure to provide incentives for colleges to use the Education
Department's Direct Loan program. Kennedy and co-sponsor Sen. Gordon Smith
(R-Ore.) said the bill would help end "subsidies" to private student loan
providers and lower the cost of college for students.
Though that proposal exists as a separate bill, Kennedy plans to take up a
larger student loan debt measure in committee in March, said Wagoner. The
measure also would reduce student loan interest rates -- a priority for the new
Democratic majority in Congress -- as well as increase Pell Grants and
institute income-contingent student loan repayments, among other things.
"He believes in the comprehensive approach," Wagoner said. She added that
action on the higher education reauthorization measure likely would follow
committee consideration of the student loan bill.
Kennedy said he was not sure when the student loan issue might make it to the
Senate floor -- giving a wide-ranging timeline from April to early June. But he
said the popularity of higher education measures would ensure that he would not
have a difficult time finding floor time.
Still, Kennedy tacitly acknowledged that the student loan bill would come
under fire from some Republicans and banks, which he said get their second most
profitable business -- after credit cards -- from student loans.
"There is no reason we should be seeing these extraordinary profits at the
expense of students," Kennedy said at a press event Tuesday. He added that the
White House is unlikely to support many of the provisions in the measure.
Nonetheless, the HELP panel will hold the first of many hearings on higher
education this Friday.
Also on Tuesday, Kennedy presided over a hearing on requiring employers to
provide workers with paid sick leave. Kennedy is expected to formally introduce
that bill in the next few weeks.
While many of Kennedy's proposals enjoy the support of Enzi and other
Republicans, the paid sick leave issue exposed a rift between the normally
congenial pair.
"The pool of available labor dollars is not infinite, and when we mandate
their expenditure for a specific purpose, we always run the risk of unintended
consequence," Enzi said in a statement. "Imagine the irony for an employee who
is granted sick leave under this bill, but whose employer decides to eliminate
or reduce health plan benefits."
Kennedy also is likely to get significant push-back from Enzi and other
Republicans on his bill giving the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco
products, which he will introduce Thursday and hold a hearing on Feb. 27.
One former Kennedy aide said the Massachusetts Democrat would primarily bring
up measures that enjoy Enzi's support.
"All signals coming out of both offices is that they really want to work
collaboratively," said the former aide. "People who want to stop these bills
are going to have to get it done on the Senate floor."
The aide added that Kennedy and Enzi currently are working on a bill to allow
small businesses to band together to buy lower cost health insurance.
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