Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Norm Coleman (R-MN) circulated a Dear Colleague letter asking fellow Senators to sign a letter to Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Ranking Member Judd Gregg (R-NH) of the Senate Budget Committee in opposition to the Bush Administration’s proposal to eliminate the Perkins Loan Program and in support of funding the Federal Capital Contribution and loan cancellations. The letter was delivered Monday and was a big success with 29 Senators signing the bipartisan letter.

In the House. Representatives Tim Bishop (D-NY) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) have also asked their colleagues to sign a letter to Chairman David Obey (D-WI) and Ranking Member Walsh (R-NY) of the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee. Mandy COHEAO members assisted in getting signatures for the letter. The letter was signed by 69 House Members. This was a great response given that there has been much confusion in the House over rules for funding requests. Although funding for Perkins Loans is for a program that is allocated according to law, it until this week some House members were under the impression that a request for funding for a program would be characterized as a request for an “earmark” – as if it was for a specific project. Obey clarified this week that a request for program funding is not considered an earmark. The letter was delivered on March 16 to Obey and Walsh. COHEAO members are urged to keep the pressure on their House and Senate members to encourage funding for the Perkins Loan Program.

To view the Senate letter, click here.
To view the House letter, click here.

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