The House of Representatives passed a bill to allow students to borrow directly from the federal government and increases the amounts awarded through the annual Pell Grant scholarship. The vote on the Democratic-led bill broke down largely along party lines, 247-167 —  with only four Democrats voting against the bill and six Republicans voting for it. Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville, who is a 2010 Senate candidate challenging incumbent Repubilcan Sen. David Vitter, and Rep. Joseph Cao, R-New Orleans, were the only two of Louisiana’s Congressional delegation to vote for the bill. Cao is one of only six Republicans to suppor the legislation.”This legislation will help many deserving students in Louisiana achieve [earning an advanced degree] by dramatically increasing the amount of federal scholarship money available for them, while also strengthening the student loan program,” Melancon said in a news release. While supporters claim the bill is a much-needed break for college students in a difficult economic climate and point to a Congressional Budget Office estimate the bill will save billions, conservative critics allege the program is an attempt by President Barack Obama to take over the student loan agency. “We need competition in the  private sector. We don’t need to take over this sector like what we did with  the automobile industry. Socialism doesn’t work. government control doesn’t work,” Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., told ABC News.
 
—-Conact Nate Monroe at [email protected]