English: United States senate candidate John Bohlinger announced that the first senate bill he will sign his name to as a co-sponsor is S 897, the Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act by Senator Elizabeth Warren.

"In recent years, outstanding student loan debt has even surpassed total credit card debt," said Bohlinger, who served as Lt. Governor under Brian Schweitzer. "We have a $1 trillion — with a 't' — college debt crisis."

On May 8th, Senator Elizabeth Warren introduced the Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act. This simple piece of legislation sets the interest rates for government loans to students at the same level as government loans to banks.

"The Schweitzer-Bohlinger administration put historic amounts of new money into higher ed and K-12 education," Bohlinger reminded.

"Our success at freezing tuition has left Montana in better shape than the rest of the country," Bohlinger explained. "But Montanans will keep wasting money on absurd student loan interest rates until we fix the mess in Washington, DC."

More than one million people — in fact, more people than live in Montana — have signed petitions in support of Senator Warren's legislation, yet it has not been a priority for senate leadership. Neither Majority Leader Harry Reid nor DSCC Chair Michael Bennet are among the bill's co-sponsors. Montana's two senators have also failed to sign on as co-sponsors. Congressman Steve Daines has also failed to cosponsor the companion bill in the House of Representatives. This means that if elected next November, Bohlinger's victory would be a net increase in support for Senator Warren's legislation.

"We are going to run a campaign of ideas," Bohlinger pledged. "Senator Warren's simple concept, that Washington, DC should not loan to Wall Street at a cheaper rate than to college students, is a bold idea that I pledge will be the first bill I'll sign my name to."

Montana Student Debt Statistics

Approximated 64% of Montana undergrads take out student loans On average, Montanans graduate with $25,000 in student loans Montanans have an 8.2% default rate on student loans

Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act Fact Sheet: http://www.warren.senate.gov/documents/BankonStudentsFactSheet.pdf

Full Text of Senate Bill 897: http://www.warren.senate.gov/documents/BankonStudentsBillText.pdf

Over One Million Support S 897: http://www.warren.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=106

Senate Co-Sponsors of S 897: Sen Mark Begich [AK] Sen Richard Blumenthal [CT] Sen Barbara Boxer [CA] Sen Al Franken [MN] Sen Mary Landrieu [LA] Sen Ed Markey [MA] Sen Claire McCaskill [MO] Sen Jeff Merkley [OR] Sen John D. Rockefeller, IV [WV] Sen Bernie Sanders [VT] Sen Brian Schatz [HI]

House Co-Sponsors of HR 1979: Rep Earl Blumenauer [OR-03] Rep David Cicilline [RI-01] Rep John Conyers, Jr. [MI-13] Rep Elijah Cummings [MD-07] Rep Peter DeFazio [OR-04] Rep Diana DeGette [CO-01] Rep Keith Ellison [MN-05] Rep John Garamendi [CA-03] Rep Alan Grayson [FL-09] Rep Raul Grijalva [AZ-03] Rep Rush Holt [NJ12] Rep Joseph P Kennedy, III [MA-04] Rep Ron Kind [WI-03] Rep Barbara Lee [CA-13] Rep Nita Lowey [NY-17] Rep Jim McDermott [WA-07] Rep Carol Shea-Porter [NH-01] Rep Maxine Waters [CA-43] Rep Henry Waxman [CA-33]

Rep John Yarmuth [KY-03]