Keeping College Affordable

Last week, I joined with students and administrators at South Seattle Community College to host a rally in support of the Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act of 2012. Unless Congress acts, interest rates for over 100,000 students across Washington state will double on July 1 ^st , which would add $1,000 to the cost of these loans for millions of Americans and will be one more strain for students and families already fighting to afford college in this tough economy. At the rally, I called on Republicans to end their filibuster of this bill and work with Democrats to keep rates low for millions of students. I will continue to fight to make sure we avoid the automatic increase on July 1 ^st.  We should be working to make it easier for students to afford college, not harder.

“Senator Murray rallies SSCC students to fight for student loan interest rate protection”
– West Seattle Herald

Last week, House Republicans released their version of the Violence Against Women Act. The House bill, which passed with only Republican support and with strong bipartisan opposition, not only stripped the Senate version of the bill’s provisions making needed progress for LGBT, immigrant, and tribal victims, but also included dangerous rollbacks of existing protections for immigrant victims.

I believe the House Republican version of VAWA is a giant step backward for victims of domestic violence.  This is dangerous and irresponsible and leaves women across the country more vulnerable to domestic abuse.  Where a person lives, who they love, or what their citizenship status may be should not determine whether or not their perpetrators are brought to justice. I’m glad that in the Senate we were able to come together around an inclusive, bipartisan bill, and I remain committed to fighting to make sure my colleagues in the House of Representatives will do the same.  We’ve made a lot of progress since VAWA was first passed in 1994, and I hope that my Republican colleagues will not insist on putting partisan politics ahead of protecting victims of domestic violence.  I will continue to fight in support of the Senate’s bipartisan bill, and to make sure that Republicans do not turn back the clock on the important progress that has been made.

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of joining with members of the Seattle Sounders Women and student athletes at Garfield High School in Seattle to mark the upcoming 40 ^thanniversary of Title IX, historic legislation that fundamentally changed the lives of women and girls across the country by allowing them equal access to athletic opportunities.  Members of the Sounders Women talked about the ways this legislation helped open doors for them when they were younger, and I discussed legislation I am currently cosponsoringThe High School Sports Information Collection Act in the Senate , that will strengthen the rights provided by Title IX, to ensure that future generations of young women are able to continue expanding opportunities and leveling the playing field. 

“Sen. Murray teams up with Sounders Women to discuss Title IX”
– Bothell Reporter