WASHINGTON — Republicans defied a veto threat and the House voted Friday to prevent federal loan costs from doubling for millions of college students.
The vote gave the GOP a momentary election-year triumph on a bill that has become enmeshed in partisan battles over the economy, women’s issues and President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.
The measure’s 215-195 passage was largely symbolic because the package will go nowhere in the Democratic-dominated Senate. Both parties agree students’ interest costs should not rise, but they are clashing along a familiar fault line over how to cover the $6 billion tab: Republicans want spending cuts, and Democrats want higher revenues.
The GOP bill would keep interest rates for subsidized Stafford loans at 3.4 percent for another year, rather than automatically doubling to 6.8 percent July 1 as they would under a law enacted five years ago. The increase would affect 7.4 million students and, the Obama administration says, cost each an average $1,000 over the life of their loans.
Democrats trained their fire on the Republican plan to pay for the bill by abolishing a preventive health fund created by Obama’s 2010 revamping of the health care system. Democrats said that program especially helped women by allocating money for cancer screening and other initiatives.
“Give me a break,” said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. “This is the latest plank in the so-called war on women, entirely created by my colleagues across the aisle for political gain.”
In its veto message, the White House argued that “women in particular” would be helped by the prevention fund and added: “This is a politically motivated proposal and not the serious response that the problem facing America’s college students deserves.”
House GOP leaders scheduled Friday’s vote after Obama barnstormed around the country — including in Boulder — in recent days to accuse them of ignoring students’ needs.
Colorado delegation’s votes
For: 215/Against: 195 The House passed a $6 billion bill to keep interest rates on millions of federal student loans from doubling this summer. The legislation would eliminate a preventive health care fund in President Barack Obama’s health care law.
Voting yes: Republicans Mike Coffman, Cory Gardner and Scott Tipton
Voting no: Democrats Diana DeGette, Ed Perlmutter and Jared Polis; and Republican Doug Lamborn
