Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Norm Coleman (R-MN) recently 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, the effort remains underway. Representatives Tim Bishop (D-NY) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) are asking 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. COHEAO members and supporters of the Perkins Loan program should continue calling their Representatives next week to urge them to sign this important letter. To locate contact information for your Congressman, please visit COHEAO's Legislative Action Center and enter your zip code. For more information, please contact Krista Heckler (kheckler@wpllc.net) or Harrison Wadsworth (hwadsworth@wpllc.net) or call (202) 289-3910.

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

For questions:
Krista Heckler
Washington Partners, LLC
(P) 202-289-3903
(F) 202-371-0197
kheckler@wpllc.net