McKeon warns of fed takeover of health care, student loans

WASHINGTON • Passage of the House Democrats’ health care bill would amount to a government takeover of health care, but also lead to a government takeover of student loans, Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon said.

“While House Democrats are plotting political gimmicks and backroom deals while vying for ‘yes’ votes on their health care bill, most Americans would be shocked and confused to learn that Democrats have included a plan – tied to the health care bill – to eliminate private-sector options for a government-managed direct student loan program,” said McKeon, R-Santa Clarita.

Democrats are planning to eliminate the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program, which has leveraged hundreds of billions of dollars in private sector capital since 1965 to help Americans pay for college. They will replace it with 100 percent Direct Lending, in which the federal government originates and oversees every single college loan in the country.

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