U.S. Rep. Miller '72 Key in Securing Debt Relief For Graduates

The College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA), the single largest increase in college aid since the GI bill, was signed into law on September 27, 2007. The Act provides debt relief for graduates who are repaying federal student loans, and includes two major provisions that will impact law students and graduates.

Alumnus and U.S. Representative George Miller '72, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, sponsored the bill. He said on its signing by President George W. Bush, "Today is a momentous day for students and families struggling to pay for college. This bill will help ensure that no qualified student is prevented from going to college because of the cost."

Two provisions of the bill, Sections 203 and 401, are of great importance to law graduates who have high debts and low incomes, and particularly to those who desire to become public interest lawyers. (See side bar for information on these provisions)

"This is good news for students and alumni of UC Davis School of Law, where our graduates go into public service law at a higher rate than most other law schools in the state," says Dean Rex Perschbacher.

Under Section 203 of the Act, School of Law graduates who work in low-pay legal specialties will be able to make smaller loan payments and stretch those payments over a longer period of time. After 25 years, any remaining principal is forgiven.

Section 401 accelerates the debt forgiveness for those working in public service jobs down to 10 years, instead of 25. In addition, the definition of a public service job is quite broad, and includes such fields as law enforcement, public education, and public library services.

The CCRAA is an important step in the School's overall campaign to encourage more students to pursue a legal education and public service. "Our Law School has been in the lead in California in encouraging students to pursue careers in public interest and public service," says Perschbacher. Indeed, in 1990, the Law School was the first public law school in California to establish a loan-repayment program for those employed in public service careers and is one of the longest running programs of its kind in the nation.

The King Hall Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) provides relief through interest-free loans to offset student loan payments, and a portion of the LRAP loan may be cancelled after three years. After five years in the program, all money received from LRAP effectively becomes a grant and repayment is waived.

This year the program was expanded to provide more support to a larger number of students. The qualifying salary cap was raised from $40,000 to $53,000, and eligible public service positions now include those in government agencies. In addition, the Law School is one of a handful of schools that give aid to offset all student loan debt--undergraduate and law school.

Graduates of the Law School who dream of pursuing public service careers will now have more options with the CCRAA and the LRAP.

George Miller '72
Congressman George Miller is a leading advocate in Congress on education, labor, the economy, and the environment. He has represented the 7th District of California in the East Bay of San Francisco since 1975.

Miller serves in a number of important positions in Congress. He is part of the Democratic Leadership, having been appointed to serve as chairman of the House Democratic Policy Committee, a position he has held since 2003. In that role, he is responsible for helping Democrats develop and articulate a wide range of policies of benefit to all Americans.

Miller was elected by his colleagues in January to serve as Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, a panel he has served on since first coming to Congress and on which he served as the Senior Democrat since 2001.