Gov. Gregoire�s statement on the Senate�s failure to prevent increase in student interest rates

For Immediate Release: May 8, 2012

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today issued the following statement on the Senate�s failure to prevent an increase in student loan interest rates:

�As our state and country emerge from this recession, a globally competitive workforce is essential. Today�s failure in the U.S. Senate to prevent student interest rates from doubling affects more than 83,000 undergraduate students in Washington state�s public and private two-year and four-year institutions. These loans make it possible for these students to pursue an education, especially in these difficult economic times.

�We need more college graduates and they deserve a chance to begin their futures without added debt burdens. This is not a partisan issue � and deserves support from both sides of the aisle within the U.S. Senate to prevent jeopardizing the future of our students.�