Merkley & Schrader boost financial aid for Oregon college students

A record 101,000 Oregon students have requested financial aid for this academic year -- and the state's E-Board, the legislative emergency funding board, has voted to immediately inject $4 million in supplemental funding for student aid.

The E-Board, which handles emergency funding requests between legislative sessions, includes House Speaker Jeff Merkley and Senator Kurt Schrader (the Ways & Means Committee Chairman).

From the Statesman-Journal:

But Sen. Kurt Schrader, D-Canby, said even with Oregon's large increase in college aid in 2007, it still falls short of similar programs in California and Washington.

"Right now, with the economy tanking the way it is, young people will be flooding to new alternatives, which involve a better life through education," he said.

House Speaker Jeff Merkley, D-Portland, said younger generations of Americans are getting less education than those preceding them, largely because of rising costs.

"I cannot think of anything more prudent than investing in our children's success," he said.

Democrats were unanimous in their support, while most Republicans voted against the package:

The spending won majorities from the nine senators (6-3) and 10 representatives (8-2). All the dissenters were Republicans, but Republican Reps. Bob Jenson of Pendleton and Patti Smith of Corbett voted for it.

Discuss.