Today the College Democrats of Ohio are applauding Senator Sherrod Brown for his hard work to stop the student interest rate hike that will take place on July 1 if Republicans don't join Democrats in passing Senator Brown's bill.
For weeks, Sen. Brown has demonstrated his commitment to Ohio's students by traveling across Ohio, visiting college campuses including The Ohio State University, University of Cincinnati and Wright State University to discuss his bill, which would freeze interest rates for federal Stafford Loans that 382,000 Ohioans rely on to attend college at the current 3.4 percent level.
If Republicans don't join Democrats to pass Sen. Brown's bill, student loan repayments will increase by an average of $1,000 per loan. In Ohio alone, the new rate increase will affect 382,000 students. Sherrod Brown knows that's not acceptable - that's why he's fighting to make college more affordable.
"Day after day Senator Brown continues to prove that he's on the side of students and he's not afraid to fight for us in Washington," said Ohio University junior Shannon Welch. "While Senator Brown is leading the charge to freeze student loan interest rates for more than 380,000 students, his opponent Josh Mandel refuses to even comment on Sherrod's bill to do just that."
Sara Valentine, a sophomore at The Ohio State University added, "Unlike his opponent Josh Mandel, Senator Brown understands that to grow Ohio's workforce we need to keep college affordable and make it more accessible for all Ohioans. That's why Sherrod is fighting in Congress to pass his bill to prevent a July 1 student rate interest hike that would increase OSU students' repayments by an average of $1,000 or more per loan."
"As Senator Brown travels the state, hosting student town hall meetings on our college campuses, students have one question: Where does the Republican nominee for Senate Josh Mandel stand on Sherrod Brown's bill to freeze student loan interest rates?" said Daniel Rajaiah, President of the College Democrats of Ohio and a University of Dayton senior. "On behalf of all Ohio students, the College Democrats of Ohio are appalled that Josh Mandel has refused to weigh in on Sherrod Brown's critical bill and has not visited a single college campus to discuss how it will affect us."
"This November, Ohio college students will remember that Senator Sherrod Brown stood with us and fought for college affordability, while Josh Mandel stayed visibly silent," Rajaiah added.
"Senator Brown continues to prove that he is a champion for Ohio's students," College Democrats of Ohio Communications Director Jesse Vogel said, "and the College Democrats of Ohio are committed to doing the grassroots work necessary to reelect him this fall."
