The Democrats took over the House and the Senate at the beginning of January and started to push the agendas that they promised to carry out when elected during their first “100 legislative hours” of Congress.
Congress passed legislation Wednesday that will cut need-based federal college loans in half, at no more expense to taxpayers, according to a news release from the House of Representatives.
Students displayed mixed reactions to the issue.
“The agenda for the interest rates of student loans should be important to me, but as a political science major, we’re taught to respect what affects everybody, not just what’s in our own interest,” Emily Bunch, a sophomore in political science, said.
Bunch, who affiliates her self with the Democratic party, said she felt the issue of student loans is a complicated subject.
“Honestly, I believe, though I’m confident in a lot of things the Democrats are doing, the student loans issue is going to be one of the most difficult tasks because of the institutions within education,” she said. “It’s been so widely controversial.”
Bunch said despite the fact that the plan to lower interest rates of student loans should be important to her, it’s not as important as issues such as the war in Iraq, stem cell research, lowering prescription drug prices, the 9-11 Commission and minimum wage.
“It’s hard to tell whether they’re carrying through with their agendas or not, but I’m confident with the agenda to raise minimum wage…they’re making good progress,” Bunch said.
Allyson Alston, a graduate teaching assistant of political science and public administration graduates, said the Democrats made a good start in carrying out some of their campaign promises.
But Alston said she feels their main priority should be the current war in Iraq.
“There’s definitely a need for some type of national security in Iraq,” she said. “And I don’t think sending more troops will fill that need.”
Bunch agreed that the war needs to be the most important item on the agenda.
“What we have right now is a sort of vague policy going on there,” Bunch said. “Having a brother in the Air Force and having the risk of losing him is not very appealing to me. Something needs to be concrete — something needs to be done.”
Jeremy Leonard, a senior in political science, said the issue of lowering interest rates for student loans is important and said he believed the proposal would pass before it actually did Wednesday.
“Lowering the rates would probably affect the people who need it most,” he said.
Leonard, who considers himself “far conservative” said he also thinks the House will try to pass legislation to increase minimum wage as the Democrats planned to do over a period of two years.
“I think minimum wage will increase. I don’t think it’ll increase by $2.10 [the Democrats’ plan],” he said.
Leonard said he doesn’t think the raise is adequate because, if minimum wage is raised, prices will also go up.
“I do think it should be raised, but they’re just not going to get the outcome of it that they would ideally like,” he said.
Alston said the $2.10 increase for minimum wage is not adequate.
“Raising minimum wage doesn’t mean a whole lot if [the government] doesn’t provide things like health care or financial aid, or supplemental things that you need on a daily basis,” she said.
Alston said she would still not consider the raise in minimum wage adequate, but it would be moving “in a better direction to receiving a livable wage and health care.”
Bunch also said legislation on the 9-11 Commission is important for the Democrats to pass, as well as legislation on stem cell research, which she said she doubts will go through because of the media’s negative attention on the topic.
Leonard, unlike Bunch, said he thinks legislation to lower prescription drug prices is feasible and should be a priority.
“I know the Republicans passed a plan to lower prices, but not of the same quality,” he said.
