The federal college loan program that pays private lenders a generous subsidy to make loans that are guaranteed by the government is an enormous waste of money thathas long served more to enrich lenders than to help students. A bill introduced by Representative George Miller, a Democrat of California, would end the unnecessary private lending subsidies and plow the savings into important education programs. The bill, for example, devotes $40 billion to the all-important Pell grant program, which has allowed millions of poor and working-class students to attend college.

For more information about the struggles students face with paying for college:

The DREAM Act Shouldn't Languish : A June 23, 2009 New York Times editorial put a human face on the struggles of students arriving in America as children and graduating high school only to face huge barriers imposed by their undocumented status. The editorial argued that the DREAM Act could open doors for these young people and should not be held hostage to larger immigration reform dreams.

Graduating with Debt? Today Counts: July 1, 2009 is a big day for student loans. The U.S. Department of Education reports good news about students needing loans, from locking in lower interest rates on previous student loans to increases in Pell Grant awards for current students.

The Education Department says student aid applications are being redesigned to be simpler and easier to use.

The President's budget and the House Committee on Appropriations have no more federal funding for Parent Information Resource Centers (PIRCs) and Arts in Education programs (AIE). The National PTA urges calls to the Senate to restore federal dollars for programs essential for meeting NCLB standards.

Families paying off college loans will now know how much more they owe in interest rates, after the July 1 hike. Future students may yet face sticker shock. The higher interest rates are part of the federal budget deal cut last year. Mobilize.org is calling on Congress to increase federal subsidies to help students offset the costs of investing in their college education.