Capital Briefs: Plan Would Pour $300M into Student Loans

Reps. Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif., and Dale Kildee, D-Mich., on Friday offered to pump $300 million into government-guaranteed student loans over five years to ensure that private lenders stay in the program.

Their plan is intended to settle disputes over a new interest rate formula that takes effect this summer.

Under their plan, students would continue to receive a cut in their five-year average interest rate to 7% from 7.8%. To partially compensate lenders, the government would supplement interest payments to ensure that lenders receive a rate of 7.5%.

But Joe Belew, president of the Consumer Bankers Association, said the proposed rate is still too low. "It is difficult to find any bankers who think this is good news," he said.

Staffers for the lawmakers said the House Education and Workforce Committee will vote on the proposal Wednesday.

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