{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=d5dfa079-9838-4e82-89dd-56c2285781d7", "Merkley Introduces Legislation to Pilot Innovative Strategy to Help Middle Class Families Pay For College", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley Introduces Legislation to Pilot Innovative Strategy to Help Middle Class Families Pay For College \n\t\n\t\t Bill is modeled after Oregon\u2019s \u201cPay It Forward, Pay It Back\u201d Proposal \n\t\n\t\n\tFriday, December 20, 2013\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley introduced legislation that would create a new model for college financing to help middle class families pay for college. Merkley\u2019s plan is based on and complements Oregon\u2019s legislation that was passed during the 2013 legislative session and arose from a Portland State University student-led project.\r\nThe bill would fund state pilot programs that replace federal loans with a reduction or elimination of college costs in exchange for the student's commitment to pay a small percentage of their future income.\r\n \r\n\u201cOur economy depends on a strong and growing middle class, and more than ever the road to middle class success runs through college,\u201d said Merkley. \u201cWith students starting their working lives burdened by tens of thousands of dollars in debt, it's clear the old models aren't working anymore. We need bold new initiatives that put opportunity for middle class Oregonians at the heart of our economy.\u201d\u00a0\r\n \r\nThe \u201cPay It Forward\u201d Guaranteed College Affordability Act of 2013 would allow some or all of students\u2019 upfront costs for a two- or four-year college to be covered by program funds. Then upon graduation, students contribute a percentage of adjusted gross income (AGI) for a fixed number of years back into the fund. Put simply, students would draw from program funds while they are in school, and pay into\u2014or pay it forward\u2014when they graduate.\r\n \r\nThe      bill would establish an alternative to undergraduate federal Direct Loans,      providing Federal funding to states that agree to pilot a Pay It Forward      model up to the current Stafford loan limits for each student that      participates.\r\nStates      would select schools to participate in the pilot.\u00a0 Students who      attend those schools could choose to enroll in the program.\u00a0\r\nRather      than forcing students to take on expensive debt obligations with      fluctuating interest rates adding an uncertain ability to repay, this      legislation would open up a new model to guarantee students\u2019 ability to      afford college repayment based on their income after graduation.\u00a0\r\n \r\nThe rising costs of college and lack of assistance have caused students to graduate with enormous debt loads, or in too many cases to drop out because they can\u2019t afford school. In Oregon, students taking out loans for their education face an average debt of $24, 370.\r\n###\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=d5dfa079-9838-4e82-89dd-56c2285781d7"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4242150355130434, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}