During his first term in office, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., has shown unwavering support for students. From co-sponsoring legislation that would help reduce college costs to fighting to increase transparency in the cost of higher education to ensuring that students can stay on their parents’ health insurance until they are 26, it is clear that Franken is working for us.
Last year, Franken worked with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., to introduce the Affordable College Textbook Act, which could significantly reduce the cost of textbooks for college students. Due to this bill’s potential to cut into the cost of higher education, the Minnesota Student Association led the charge to get it endorsed by the Association of Big Ten Students, an organization that represents tens of thousands of students.
In addition to his work to lower the cost of college while students are enrolled, Franken helped introduce the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act. This bill would allow students to refinance their student loans at the lowest interest rate available.
Franken’s opponent, wealthy businessman Mike McFadden, said he wouldn’t vote for the bill if it involved raising taxes.
Franken is also working on making the cost of higher education more transparent with the Net Price Calculator. This tool would create a uniform system for colleges and universities to report the cost of attending their institution. When students understand how much higher education will cost, they can make better financial decisions when choosing where to go to school.
Furthermore, Franken has consistently reached out to students at the University and at state college institutions for feedback on legislation he’s working on. Not only that, but he’s met with students time and again here on campus to ask them what he can do to help them succeed as students and as Minnesotans. During an election season, it’s easy to get lost in all of the rhetoric, but students have a clear choice this November. Franken is a champion of student issues, and we need to keep him in the Senate.
