by Mark Silva
It has come to this.
President Bush, who will begin his own annual tour of college commencement addresses next week in the tornado-stricken town of Greensburg, Kansas -- the first time the president has delivered one of his addresses at a high school -- was on the radio today assuring college kids that student aid will not dry up.
The president, who has lost support in Congress for most of his initiatives in his final year in office, is calling today on people to call on Congress to ensure that adequate student aid remains available to those who need it. And he says this is not a recession.
" A slowdown in the economy shouldn't mean a downturn in educational opportunities,'' the president said in his weekly radio address today. " So we're taking decisive action now to ensure that college is accessible and affordable for students around the country.''
Read on to see the address:
This is the text of the president's radio address:
"Good morning. As we approach graduation season, many American students are looking forward to beginning college in the fall. This new chapter of life is a time of great expectation but can also be a time of anxiety. And that anxiety is being heightened by the recent credit crunch, which has raised concerns about the potential availability of student loans.
Recently, some lenders have dropped out of the Federal program that provides college loans to students who have often little or no credit. Without an adequate response, this means that many students may approach the upcoming school year uncertain of when they will be able to get their loans or where they will come from.
A slowdown in the economy shouldn't mean a downturn in educational opportunities. So we're taking decisive action now to ensure that college is accessible and affordable for students around the country.
One way we're helping is through the Department of Education's "lender of last resort" program, which works to provide loans for students who are unable to secure one from a lender. The Department is taking steps to ensure that the agencies involved in this program are ready and able to meet their responsibilities. If necessary, the government will help fund these loans. With these actions, we will help ensure that a college education is not unnecessarily denied to those who have earned it.
These are important first steps, but more needs to be done. Congress needs to pass legislation that would give my Administration greater authority to buy Federal student loans. By doing so, we can ensure that lenders will continue to participate in the guaranteed loan program and ensure that students continue to have access to tuition assistance.
A bill that would do this has already passed the House of Representatives. It is called the "Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act." This bill provides the necessary tools for safeguarding student loans without permanently expanding the government's role in their financing. The authority the bill grants is temporary and would be used only if it became apparent there was a shortage of loans available to students.
Ensuring the stability of student loans is essential to keeping educational opportunities open to all Americans. Last year alone, Federal loans provided more than $60 billion of aid to American students. This money helped pay for tuition, textbooks, and the lifetime of opportunity that comes with holding a college degree. Members of Congress now have a chance to preserve this opportunity, and they should take it.
I urge Congress to get the "Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act" to my desk as soon as possible. A delay of even a week or two may make it impossible for this legislation to help students going to school this fall. By working together to improve and enact this legislation quickly, we can ensure that higher education remains within the reach for all those who've earned it. And we can ensure that America's college students can spend more time next fall thinking about their textbooks than their pocketbooks.
Thank you for listening.''
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Comments
It needn't hurt the college kids, but it has already. It is the same thing with the draft. Politicians make the hollow claim that we don't have a military draft, and yet, there are men and woman in uniform, that are on their second or third tour to Iraq. Of course, it will hurt the college kids, who aren't of wealthy parentage. Many of us, need assistance in pursuing higher education. Fortunately for me, I was able to take advantage of the great G. I. Bill, to further my education, Today's veterans can't even get good healthcare, for their service to our country, let alone, educational assistance. That fact is a direct result of the policies covering the Veterans Administration that have been introduced by this administration. Shame on them, for the inadequate treatment they have foisted on our veterans!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | April 26, 2008 10:43 AM
Americans should know by know that George W Bush lives in a parallel universe. He, and his minions see the World one way and the rest of us see it another way. He has been saying the economy is strong for 7 years. Some segments are not in a recession, but already in a depression.
Posted by: GW | April 26, 2008 10:47 AM
"It's not a recession". Oh, okay. As usual, Mr. Bush ignores even his own economists, who would disagree with him. I think the man has some sort of God complex. If he says something, it must be true.
Posted by: Laurence Siegel | April 26, 2008 2:20 PM
We need to secure access to higher education by ensuring students can get more loans? That's great George, saddle middle and lower class kids with tens of thousands of dollars that comes due just when they get out of college. We wouldn't want them investing in the economy by purchasing a home or car. No, we want them getting a bill for $800 a month for the next 30 years while your buddies in the banking industry reap the rewards of government backed loans. Why not give more grants?
Posted by: Jim | April 26, 2008 2:28 PM
If the government is going to continue to hand out money for college tuition, it must begin to demand performance standards and efficiencies from the universities first. Three hour per week teaching loads are inexcusable when the government is paying out hundreds of millions and students are borrowing up to their eyebrows. Chicago State just had 17 adverse audit findings on expenditures and for the $100 million annual budget it has, CSU graduates only 15 percent of its students after 4 years. It would be cheaper and probably just as effective to print a diploma for every applicant.
Posted by: Gordon | April 26, 2008 3:15 PM
My favorite lately was his response a couple weeks ago when a reporter asked him about the likely prospect of gasoline hiting $4/gallon. "What, $4.00," he replied. "I hadn't heard that. I'll have to check into it." Then I remembered his daddy's awe at seeing a grocery checkout line scanner when he was president. Of course scanners had been around for a while by that point. Out of touch? But they are the favorite's of Joe Sixpack. For all those who are have been laid off in the last eight years, who have no health care coverage, whose children's schools have gotten worse, AND who voted for King George I say "eat it!"
Posted by: Aaron | April 26, 2008 4:23 PM
I guess I will not be posting here at the Swamp anymore. Almost none of my posts ever get here anymore. Goodbye Swampers.
Posted by: rncbs | April 26, 2008 4:50 PM
As long as we can borrow more money from China I guess anything is possible. This coming from George Bush a guy with an IQ of 90!!!
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | April 27, 2008 9:39 AM
We're in a recession on Chimpy W. Bush's watch. It's a recession. More men 45-54 killing themselves, more family homes lost, more pensions stolen away, more nest eggs needed to live in the present, less middle class able to come through for their kids in college, banks and oil companies allowed to run amuck, highest national debt ever, biggest war debt put on the next generation--all on the SnotNose Chimpy W. Bush's watch. This seems to thrill him as he shows such levity. Am thinking prayers from the Psalms regarding "my enemy" will not be kind to BushCO. He and Cheney will be confused and dishonored. It'll probably happen at warpspeed. The meltdown will be good theatre for all of us--even though financially forced to buy bad seats. I'll be thankful when the blight is out of office. Can't wait for the "wickedness of the wicked to come to an end".
Posted by: Vivian | April 27, 2008 10:59 PM