Portman on student loan program: 'This isn't about numbers, this is about people'

U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) went to the Senate floor Wednesday to urge his colleagues to extend the Federal Perkins Loan Program.

Portman noted that thousands of Ohio students utilize the program, including one of his former interns, who grew up in foster care and is now a Kent State University student who is on track to graduate early.
 
Portman recently joined several of his colleagues in introducing a Senate resolution expressing support for the continuation of the program. He has repeatedly called on his colleagues to support the reauthorization. The Federal Perkins Loan is a low-interest loan which helps undergraduate and graduate students with demonstrated financial need meet the costs of higher education.

Excerpts of Portman’s speech are below.
 
“We should debate how to make sure college is more affordable for all students, but let’s not at this point stop this program that is working, that is providing for young people in my state and around the country what they need to be able to afford a quality education.
 
“I was out here a few weeks ago talking about this program. At that time I talked about some specific schools and people in my state who depend on this. It’s the oldest federal program out there for students to be able to take advantage of some kind of help to be able to get through school.
 

[[In-content Ad]]“It’s needed now more than ever with tuition costs going up and more and more families feeling that squeeze. When I am back home I hear from parents and the students themselves. It’s tough. Wages are flat, in many cases declining. And yet expenses are up, and this is one of them … this is the time for us not to stop the program, but for us to continue this really important program.
 
“Last year, more than 25,000 Ohio students received financial aid through Perkins, including 3,000 young people at Kent State and over 1,700 students at The Ohio State University in Columbus.
 
“One of these students is an outstanding young woman. Her name is Keri. She goes to Kent State, she’s a junior and she interned for me last summer.
 
“And in talking to Keri about this program, this is something she absolutely needs to be able to stay in school. Keri is a young woman who I have a lot of respect for because she fought the odds. She was in foster care, she went from one foster home to another growing up.
 
“And yet, she not only fought the odds, she’s now in college and excelling in college. She’s doing a great job. But she doesn’t have the resources to be able to stay in college without this program. She’s also a Pell Grant recipient, but she also needs the Perkins loan to be able to stay in school.
 
“This isn’t just about numbers, this is about people, this is about Keri. This is about young people who we want to have the opportunity to get the education they need to get ahead because it does provide help for those who are in most need.”