Kuster Discusses College Affordability

On Sept. 2, U.S. Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, NH-02, visited the office of the New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Fund (NHHEAF) in Concord to discuss her efforts to expand access to higher education and college affordability. Kuster toured NHHEAF’s offices with NHHEAF President and CEO, René Drouin, and spoke to employees about her work in Congress to reduce student loan debt.

“A critical part of creating more jobs and economic opportunity is ensuring that every Granite State student has access to higher education and the job training they need to thrive in the 21st century economy,” said Kuster. “It was wonderful to visit with NHHEAF employees to discuss the importance of making college more affordable and hear about the work they are doing around this issue. I urge colleagues in Congress to pass legislation I’ve cosponsored that would decrease student loan interest rates and ease the debt burden on Granite State families.”

The NHHEAF Network Organizations are comprised of three nonprofit agencies that provide college access programs for New Hampshire students, families, and schools. NHHEAF works with Granite State families on a variety of issues related to student loans, including financial management and default prevention.

Since taking office in January 2013, Kuster has advocated for maintaining low interest rates on federal student loans and other legislation to ease the growing debt burden on college students across the country. She helped introduce the Bank on Students Emergency Refinancing Act, which would allow borrowers to refinance federal and private student loans to the lower rates that are currently available to new borrowers. In August, Kuster held a roundtable discussion at Plymouth State on the importance of helping Granite State families afford high quality education.

Submitted by the Office of U.S. Rep. Ann McLane Kuster.