Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act
The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) of 2010 ensures that all federally funded student loans will be directed through the federal government’s Direct Loan Program (DLP,) saving taxpayers $61 billion and using that money to fund the rest of the bill. It abolished the Federal Education Loan Program (FFELP)—which used publicly subsidized private loan companies to provide student loans.
SAFRA provided the Pell grant program with an infusion of $36 billion (over 10 years), increasing the maximum award to $5,550 in 2011. SAFRA also ensures the program’s benefits will now grow with inflation every year, plus one percent. SAFRA makes student loan interest rates variable, but caps interest rates at 6.8 percent to protect borrowers from unreasonably high rates.
SAFRA also increased funding for community colleges ($2 billion in available grants).
Cry Wolf Quotes
The response from the community has been incredible. Our local leaders, our families, our friends, our neighbors; more than 80,000 concerned citizens want our Senators to understand the economic impact of these jobs and the valuable services we provide students and families every day.
The President's plan, although touted as a means of promoting higher education, is not. The plan does not reduce the cost of student loans for a single student. Students and parents need to know that under this proposal, the government's profits on student loans borrowed by middle income students will be used to finance other student aid.
The student-loan provisions buried in the health care legislation intentionally eliminate private-sector jobs at a time when our country can least afford to lose them.
Here is what they haven't told us: The Education Department will borrow money at 2.8 percent from the Treasury, lend it to you at 6.8 percent and spend the difference on new programs. So you'll work longer to pay off your student loan to help pay for someone else's education -- and to help your U.S. representative's reelection.
Evidence
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5 Myths About Student Loan Reform
Campus Progress: Almost all of the student loan industry's warning about SAFRA were wrong.
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Are Student Loan Companies Playing Politics With People’s Jobs
The definitive refutation of “job killer” cry wolf claims regarding SAFRA.
