Subject: DEBATE FACT CHECK: RUBIO WANTS TO ELIMINATE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND INCREASE COSTS OF COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS
From: DNC Press <[email-masked]>
To: DNC Press <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2015 01:11:22 +0000

FACT CHECK: RUBIO WANTS TO ELIMINATE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND INCREASE COSTS OF COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS

Despite putting himself through college on Pell Grants and federal student loans, Marco Rubio opposes policies that would make college more affordable for millions of young Americans. He wants to eliminate the Department of Education and voted and supported budgets that drastically cut Pell Grants. He blocked a bill that allowed students to refinance their student loans and voted against measures that prevented interest rates on student loans from doubling.

RUBIO HAS CALLED FOR THE ELIMINATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Rubio: "I Honestly Think We Don't Need A Department Of Education."  [Associated Press, 9/1/15<http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/marco-rubio-nation-us-education-department-33465032>]

Politico: Rubio Said He Would Like To Eliminate The U.S. Department Of Education. "The Florida senator, who has made clear to key supporters that he will run for president instead of reelection to the Senate, also told the Club for Growth donor meeting here that he would like to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, shut down the Export-Import Bank and pass a detailed Obamacare alternative." [Politico, 2/28/15<http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/rubio-previews-tax-reform-plan-at-donor-meet-115626.html>]

RUBIO BLOCKED A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW STUDENTS TO REFINANCE THEIR STUDENT LOANS

2014: Rubio Voted Against Cloture On A Bill That Would Allow Students To Refinance Their Federal Loans. "A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for the refinancing of certain Federal student loans, and for other purposes." [S.2432, Vote 185, 6/11/14<http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=2&vote=00185>]

RUBIO WAS AGAINST OBAMA'S COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY PLAN

Rubio Said He "Strongly Opposed" President Obama's Plan College Affordability Plan. "'While I share the President's goal of making college tuition more affordable, I'm strongly opposed to his plan to impose new federal standards on higher education institutions,' Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said in a statement." [ABC News, 8/22/13<http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/08/obama-unveils-new-college-affordability-plan/>]

RUBIO VOTED AGAINST MEASURES THAT PREVENTED INTEREST RATES ON STUDENT LOANS FROM DOUBLING

Rubio Voted To Block A Measure That Prevented The Interest Rate On Some Student Loans From Doubling.  "Senate Republicans, including Marco Rubio of Florida, blocked a Democratic-sponsored bill on Tuesday that would freeze low interest rates on federal college loans at 3.4 percent. The vote left a stalemate on Capitol Hill because the two parties cannot agree on how to cover the lost revenue from low loan rates to avoid adding to the deficit." [Sun-Sentinel, 5/8/12<http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2012/05/rubio-r-splits-with-nelson-d-over-student-loan-bill.html>]

RUBIO VOTED FOR AND SUPPORTED BUDGETS THAT DRASTICALLY CUT PELL GRANTS

HEADLINE: "Rubio On House GOP Budget: 'I Think Paul Ryan Has It Right." [Breitbart, 4/2/14<http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2014/04/02/Rubio-on-House-GOP-Budget-I-Think-Paul-Ryan-Has-It-Right>]

*         Center On Budget And Policy Priorities: The FY 2015 Ryan Budget Cuts Pell Grants For Low- And Moderate-Income Students By Up To $125 Billion. "The Ryan budget cuts Pell Grants for low- and moderate-income students by up to $125 billion through such means as freezing the maximum grant (which already covers less than a third of college costs) for ten years, cutting eligibility in various ways, and repealing all mandatory funding for Pell Grants." [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 4/3/14<http://www.offthechartsblog.org/ryan-budget-gets-69-percent-of-its-cuts-from-low-income-programs/>]

*         White House: Nationwide, Students Would Receive 3,053,000,000 Less Funding In Pell Grants Under Ryan's FY 2015 Budget.  [Whitehouse.gov, 4/9/14<http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/04/09/state-state-breakdown-damage-would-be-caused-house-republican-budget>]

*         White House: Nationwide, 616,000 Fewer Students Would Receive Pell Grants Under Ryan's FY 2015 Budget.  [Whitehouse.gov, 4/9/14<http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/04/09/state-state-breakdown-damage-would-be-caused-house-republican-budget>]

2013: Rubio Voted For The FY 14 Ryan Budget.  [S.Amdt 433 to S.Con.Res 8, Vote #46, 3/21/13<http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00046>]

*         The Ryan Budget Would Heavily Cut Pell Grants, Freezing The Maximum Pell Grant Award For Ten Years Without Any Adjustment For Inflation Or Rising Tuition Costs. "The Ryan budget would heavily cut Pell Grants for low- and moderate-income students.  The budget documents indicate that the maximum Pell award would be frozen for ten years without any adjustment for inflation or rising tuition costs." [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/21/13<http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3938>]

*         The Paul Ryan Budget Would Cut Pell Grants By $455 Per Student In 2017. Center on Budget and Priorities on the 2013 Paul Ryan Budget: "As a result, the maximum award would be cut by $85 in 2014, with the cut growing to $455 in 2017 and later years, relative to the grant levels scheduled under current law." [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/21/13<http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3938>]