The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives defied a White House veto threat on Friday and voted to take money from President Barack Obama’s landmark healthcare overhaul to pay for an extension of low-interest federal student loans.
Democrats and Republicans have until July to find an election-year compromise. That’s when the rate is set to double on Stafford loans to 6.8 percent for more 7 million students, who represent an important voting bloc.
On a mostly party-line vote of 215-195, the House sent the measure to the Senate where Obama’s Democrats are certain to reject it.
Like Obama, Senate Democrats want to renew the low interest rate for students, but favor covering the $6 billion cost for one year by ending a tax break for the rich.
READ MORE: Republicans insert healthcare into student loan fight
The gunman who police suspect killed seven people and wounded three at a Christian college in Oakland, California, was upset with the school’s administration and students over what he viewed was unfair treatment while he was enrolled there, the Oakland police chief said Tuesday.
Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan said ABC’s “Good Morning America” that One Goh, 43, has been cooperating with investigators trying to piece together a motive for killings at Oikos University. It was the deadliest shooting rampage on a U.S. college campus since 32 people were killed at Virginia Tech University in April 2007.
“We’ve learned that the suspect was upset with the administration at the school,” Jordan said. “He was also upset that students … in the past when he attended the school, mistreated him, disrespected him and things of that nature.
![Student protesters and pedestrians run away from a jet of water released from a riot police vehicle during a demonstration against the government demanding changes in the public state education system in Santiago March 15, 2012.
Chilean students have been protesting against what they say is profiteering in the state education system. [REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0xxlwOOMQ1qmaoalo1_1280.jpg)
Student protesters and pedestrians run away from a jet of water released from a riot police vehicle during a demonstration against the government demanding changes in the public state education system in Santiago March 15, 2012.
Chilean students have been protesting against what they say is profiteering in the state education system. [REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado]
![Students crouch behind a wall to hide from the water cannon truck during a demonstration against the government to demand changes in the public state education system in Santiago February 2, 2012.
Chilean students have been protesting against what they say is profiteering in the state education system. [REUTERS/Victor Ruiz Caballero]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lys760hQpN1qmaoalo1_1280.jpg)
Students crouch behind a wall to hide from the water cannon truck during a demonstration against the government to demand changes in the public state education system in Santiago February 2, 2012.
Chilean students have been protesting against what they say is profiteering in the state education system. [REUTERS/Victor Ruiz Caballero]
If education is so important, why is it so expensive? Everyone is talking about education and its importance to success in the high-tech economy of the future, but nobody wants to pay for it.
Ruth J. Simmons, President of Brown University and Drew Gilpin Faust, President of Harvard University tell Chrystia Freeland how to do education well.
