Issue: H.R. 4628 To extend student loan interest rates for undergraduate Federal Direct Stafford Loans.

Result: Passed in House, 215 to 195, 22 not voting.  Republicans scored.

Bill Summary:  Extends the 3.4% interest rate on Direct Stafford loans first disbursed to undergraduate students between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2012, applicable to Direct Stafford loans first disbursed to undergraduate students between July 1, 2011, and July 1, 2013. Offsets the estimated $5.9 billion loss to the Treasury of the subsidy by eliminating an “Obamacare” public health and prevention fund.

Analysis:   Federal aid to students for their college education is unconstitutional, pure and simple.   A vote to continue this unconstitutional program cannot be justified by combining it with the repeal of a less entrenched unconstitutional feature of “Obamacare.”

We score only the Republicans on this roll call, as most Democrats voted against the measure for the wrong reason, merely objecting, with White House support, to the method of offsetting the expense.   See roll call 451 (6-29-12) for the vote on the House-Senate compromise, which the president signed into law.

We have assigned (good vote) to the Noes and (bad vote) to the Ayes. (P = voted present; ? = not voting; blank = not listed on roll call.)