COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY DAY OF ACTION
In the wake of an historic voter turnout among young people in the 2006 election, our groups are pushing Congress to respond to the issues that young people care about. Today, at 2pm, our coalition will hold a press conference on Capitol Hill to outline our education agenda, the centerpiece of which is the 50% cut in student loan interest rates. We have been pleased to see the Democratic leadership adopt this issue.
As part of this campaign, we organized a group of Facebook to give young people a way to show support. I’m amazed to report that in just a few short weeks, as of 10AM today, more than 31,000 young people have joined this group. That’s more support than any presidential candidate has earned on Facebook, and more than almost any policy issue. If you’re a Facebook member, you can see the group here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2226393805
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MEDIA ADVISORY:
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10, 2006
STUDENTS TO LOBBY CONGRESS
TO MAKE COLLEGE AFFORDABLE
Congressional Leaders To Respond To Demand For Congressional Action
WASHINGTON – Students will join the Campaign for College Affordability to urge Congress to pass legislation that cuts interest rates on student loans in half as soon as possible at a news conference on Capitol Hill on Thursday. The news conference is part of a national day of action on dozens of college campuses and in communities across the country to promote college affordability as a key issue for the new Congress. Dozens of students will lobby their members of Congress following the news conference.
Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., and Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., will respond to the concerns of the students by outlining their agendas for making college affordable for working Americans. Groups participating in the Campaign for College Affordability include Rock the Vote, Campaign for America’s Future, Campus Progress at the Center for American Progress, the NAACP, the American Medical Students Association, the Young Democrats of America, the National Education Association, the PIRG Higher Education Project, the U.S. Students Association and the League of Young Voters Education Fund.
COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY DAY OF ACTION
NEWS CONFERENCE
DATE: Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007
TIME: 2 p.m. ET
PLACE: Mansfield Room, S. 207 U.S. Capitol Building
PARTICIPANTS:
Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Rep. George Miller, D-Calif.
Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn.
Andrew Bossie, student, Univ. of Southern Maine
Paul Perry, student, American University
Jennifer Pae, President, U.S. Student Association
Jay Bhatt, President, American Medical Students’ Assoc.
Anthony Daniels, NEA Student Program Chairperson
ABOUT ROCK THE VOTE
Founded in 1990 by members of the recording industry, Rock the Vote is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to protecting freedom of expression and empowering young people to change their world. Over the past decade, Rock the Vote has called on young people to recognize their role in creating significant political and social change. In addition to registering over three million new young voters, Rock the Vote street teams are engaging young people as civic activists in their communities and contributors to the political process. These street teams have organized, educated and registered voters at thousands of concerts, community festivals, college campuses, pride events and coffee shops across the nation.