Taking the Politics Out of Student Loans: A Win for Students, Taxpayers, & Our Economy JUNE 10, 2013 | VIEW ONLINE Paying for college is tough. That’s why the House passed a bill to make it easier and fairer for students and families – and help our economy grow – by taking politics out of the student loan process and stopping interest rates from artificially doubling on July 1. Rep. Luke Messer (R-IN) explains how it works in the Weekly GOP Address: Rep. Messer also shares his story of paying for college with a combination of student loans, grants, scholarships, and everything from “collecting garbage and waiting tables to umpiring baseball games.” Read more about the Smarter Solutions for Students Act and other parts of the GOP jobs plan below: MORE FROM THE SPEAKER’S BLOG GOP bill and Obama plan are “on the same page,” but White House “arrogance of power” prevents action on student loans: The president’s campaign-style tactics against the Smarter Solutions for Students Act – which echoes a plan he offered in April – “prevents us from addressing the people’s priorities,” said Rep. Messer. Watch the GOP address here. Tapping offshore energy to fuel economic growth: The Offshore Energy & Jobs Act (H.R. 2231) removes government barriers to responsible offshore energy production. This will help create new American jobs, lower prices, and prevent us from relying on hostile foreign nations for our energy needs. Interview with Laura Ingraham: On the Laura Ingraham Show, Speaker Boehner said “expanding American energy production” is one of the keys to the Republican Plan for Economic Growth & Jobs. 70 percent back Keystone XL: Seventy percent of Americans support the private-sector Keystone XL pipeline, which would create tens of thousands of new jobs and help lower gas prices. The president has delayed Keystone for four years, but the House recently voted to jumpstart the project. IRS scandal underscores need to simplify the tax code, repeal ObamaCare: The same agency that improperly targeted and harassed President Obama’s political opponents is the chief enforcer of our mess of a tax code and the president’s train wreck of a health care law. Both have to go. Protecting the American Dream: "By making life work for families and expanding opportunity for everyone, we can restore the growth and prosperity that will keep the American Dream safe for our children and grandchildren,” wrote Speaker Boehner in La Opinión. President Obama’s “jarring shift” threatens to shut down government over his sequester: The president threatened to veto two bipartisan bills that will help control spending while supporting our veterans and keeping America secure. The veto suggested he’d shut down the government unless he gets higher taxes and more spending. Speaker Boehner quickly urged the president to “take the government shutdown threat off the table.” Keeping the “open rules” pledge: Here’s a look at how Republicans are keeping the pledge to run the House of Representatives differently by using a more open process for considering, debating, and amending legislation. #OpenGov in the House: Speaker Boehner explained how Republicans are also “using technology to make Congress more open and transparent.” A tally of our open government projects is available at speaker.gov/open. >> SEE and SHARE our infographic on open government:

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