June 18, 2002
Last year, Congresswoman Lee introduced H.R. 2555 with Congressman Steny Hoyer, which would authorize a loan forgiveness program for all legislative branch employees, including House and Senate staff, Architect of the Capitol (AOC) workers and Capitol Police officers. After one year of work in the Legislative Branch, employees will be eligible to receive a maximum of $6000 per year, up to $40,000 towards outstanding student loan debt.
"As a former House staffer myself, and as the employer of a number of staffers who have a great deal of student loans, I strongly support loan forgiveness for all legislative branch employees," said Lee. "Workers on Capitol Hill earn on average less than their executive branch counterparts, but still have the same student loan debt. Executive branch workers have loan forgiveness and all Congressional employees should, too."
Last year, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act included similar loan forgiveness provisions, but only for Senate employees. Capitol Police were later added to the program.
"Loan forgiveness is an excellent tool for attracting and retaining the terrific staff we all work with every day. It's also one of the important ways we can try to compete with the private sector, which can offer higher salaries and other benefits." said Lee. "Many young people want to come work for the government, and dedicate themselves to public service, but cannot afford to when they owe tens of thousands in student loans. This new program will make public service much more attractive to them."
Congresswoman Lee thanked her colleagues for carrying out the provisions of her legislation but also expressed her concern that employees of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) were not included in the appropriations bill. She voiced her hope that the AOC staff would be included when the bill goes to conference and pledged to toward AOC employee inclusion throughout the year.
"The AOC staff work hard every day to make sure our offices are clean and our buildings are well taken care of." said Lee. "I am concerned that it looks elitist to include everyone but our hardworking counterparts at the AOC. I think we owe it to the people who take care of us to add them in this program and hope that my colleagues will join me in working to include the AOC in conference."
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House Passes Congresswoman Lee's Student Loan Forgiveness Provisions in Legislative Branch Funding Bill
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today applauded House passage of H.R. 5121, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act for FY03, which contains a provision authored by Congresswoman Lee to provide student loan forgiveness for employees for the U.S. House of Representatives.Last year, Congresswoman Lee introduced H.R. 2555 with Congressman Steny Hoyer, which would authorize a loan forgiveness program for all legislative branch employees, including House and Senate staff, Architect of the Capitol (AOC) workers and Capitol Police officers. After one year of work in the Legislative Branch, employees will be eligible to receive a maximum of $6000 per year, up to $40,000 towards outstanding student loan debt.
"As a former House staffer myself, and as the employer of a number of staffers who have a great deal of student loans, I strongly support loan forgiveness for all legislative branch employees," said Lee. "Workers on Capitol Hill earn on average less than their executive branch counterparts, but still have the same student loan debt. Executive branch workers have loan forgiveness and all Congressional employees should, too."
Last year, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act included similar loan forgiveness provisions, but only for Senate employees. Capitol Police were later added to the program.
"Loan forgiveness is an excellent tool for attracting and retaining the terrific staff we all work with every day. It's also one of the important ways we can try to compete with the private sector, which can offer higher salaries and other benefits." said Lee. "Many young people want to come work for the government, and dedicate themselves to public service, but cannot afford to when they owe tens of thousands in student loans. This new program will make public service much more attractive to them."
Congresswoman Lee thanked her colleagues for carrying out the provisions of her legislation but also expressed her concern that employees of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) were not included in the appropriations bill. She voiced her hope that the AOC staff would be included when the bill goes to conference and pledged to toward AOC employee inclusion throughout the year.
"The AOC staff work hard every day to make sure our offices are clean and our buildings are well taken care of." said Lee. "I am concerned that it looks elitist to include everyone but our hardworking counterparts at the AOC. I think we owe it to the people who take care of us to add them in this program and hope that my colleagues will join me in working to include the AOC in conference."
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