News Coverage
Springfield Republican: With vote nearing on Sen. Elizabeth Warren's student loan debt refinancing bill, President Barack Obama offers up his support
By Robert Rizzuto June 7, 2014 WASHINGTON - With President Barack Obama set to officially endorse Sen. Elizabeth Warren's Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act on Monday, the commander in chief dedicated his weekly address to highlighting the bill and the problem of college debt dragging down the next generation. "In a 21st century economy, the surest pathway into the middle class is some form of higher education. The unemployment rate for workers with a bachelor's degree is just 3.3 … Continue Reading
May 19, 2014
Roll Call: Elizabeth Warren Leads Progressive Charge, but Has GOP Admirers Too
By Niels Lesniewski May 19, 2014 "What reaction do you usually expect from banks?" Sen. Elizabeth Warren asked a reporter last week. It was classic Warren. Appearing at a news conference with fellow Democrats and D.C.-area college students to roll out legislation she spearheaded that would let borrowers refinance student loans, the Massachusetts Democrat dismissed a question about financial institutions losing profits from older, high-interest loans. "There's a real question here. Does … Continue Reading
May 19, 2014
Boston Globe: Forum addresses struggles of working families
By Katie JohnstonMay 19, 2014 CAMBRIDGE - Families are working harder than ever, but falling further behind -- and easing their struggle will require significant policy changes, including raising the minimum wage, closing the gender wage gap, refinancing student loan debt, and creating affordable child care, a group of women lawmakers, economists, and researchers said Monday. These and other proposals were discussed as part of forum on the challenges facing working families, one of five … Continue Reading
May 11, 2014
WGBH News: Warren Renews Push To Refinance Student Loan Debt
By Kirk CarapezzaMay 11, 2014 Senator Elizabeth Warren is renewing her effort to help former college students pay back their student loan debt. Warren wants to bring high student loan interest rates down to the rates that are offered to new borrowers this year. Earlier this week, WGBH's On Campus caught up with the senator shortly after she left the floor of the Senate where she filed a bill to do just that. On Campus: If successful, what will this bill mean for those who have outstanding … Continue Reading
May 07, 2014
Springfield Republican: US Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey announce $32 million in AmeriCorps funding for Massachusetts
By Robert Rizzuto May 7, 2014 WASHINGTON - Both U.S. Senators from Massachusetts on Wednesday announced the Bay State would receive more than $32 million in AmeriCorps funding which is expected to place nearly 7,000 people with 18 different organizations across the commonwealth. A combination of Corporation for National and Community Service grants totaling $32,933,000 were slated by Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey to assist AmeriCorps member groups tackling a range of issues … Continue Reading
May 06, 2014
Associated Press: Education Gets Top Billing on Capitol Hill
By Kimberly Hefling May 6, 2014 Lawmakers looking ahead to the November elections are putting renewed focus on education, tackling issues on Capitol Hill this week ranging from expanding charter schools to paying off student loan debt. ... Student loans, the subject of some contentious debate in 2013, are coming up again in both the House and Senate. With the doubling of interest rates looming, Congress last year acted to keep them at low level levels for now - but linked those rates to the … Continue Reading
May 06, 2014
Springfield Republican: Sen. Elizabeth Warren introducing bill to reduce burden of student loan debt in US and enact 'Buffett Rule'
By Robert Rizzuto May 6, 2014 WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is introducing legislation in the Senate on Tuesday that tackles two of her policy priorities - college debt and the tax rate paid by the wealthy. Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, is poised to introduce a bill which, in part, would allow people holding student loans financed at rates higher than today's interest rate to refinance those loans, similar to the way one refinances a home mortgage or car loan. "When interest … Continue Reading
April 29, 2014
Cape Cod Times Editorial: Drowning in debt
April 29, 2014 In the last year, student loan debt surged to $1.2 trillion - about double what it was just seven years ago, according to a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. That's more than credit card and auto-loan debt. In fact, student loan debt is second only to the amount owed on home mortgages. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is among those sounding the alarm about what economists say could become a major financial crisis if preventive steps are not taken - and soon. … Continue Reading
April 28, 2014
Huffington Post: SEC Commissioner Issues Scathing Dissent From Ruling, Elizabeth Warren Echoes Concern
By Ashley Alman April 28, 2014 Securities and Exchange Commissioner Kara Stein on Monday denounced the regulator's decision to continue providing special benefits to a big bank after its conviction for manipulating interest rates. The SEC spared Royal Bank of Scotland Group from losing its regulatory status as a well-known seasoned issuer on Friday. The bank was criminally convicted earlier this year for manipulating the Libor benchmark interest rate. The bank's crimes, Stein said Monday in a … Continue Reading
April 23, 2014
American Banker: Lawmakers Push Rule Changes at DoE over Student Accounts
By Victoria Finkle April 23, 2014 WASHINGTON - A Democratic coalition of nearly two dozen lawmakers is urging the Department of Education to change its rules to better protect students from unfair banking practices at colleges. The lawmakers, led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., sent a letter Wednesday to the Department of Education responding to proposed changes to the agency's Title IV cash management rules, which … Continue Reading
April 13, 2014
Boston Globe: Elizabeth Warren decries US college loan profits
By: Dan Adams April 13, 2014 US Senator Elizabeth Warren blasted government profits on student loans in a speech at Suffolk University's Law School on Saturday, firing up a crowd of law students, education researchers, and financial specialists. "This exploding debt is crushing our young people," Warren, a Democrat, said in her speech to attendees of a two-day student loan symposium. "These students didn't go to the mall and run up a bunch of charges on credit cards. They worked hard to learn … Continue Reading
April 12, 2014
Daily Hampshire Gazette: US Sen. Elizabeth Warren fires up local politicians, community organizers at annual municipal conference
By: Laurie Loisel April 12, 2014 NORTHAMPTON - U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren offered an analysis Saturday of the federal government's impact on local communities that provided her audience of local elected and appointed officials reasons for hope and anger - in just about equal measure. Warren was the keynote speaker for an annual conference sponsored for 24 years by state Sen. Stanley C. Rosenberg, D-Amherst. Rosenberg said this year's conference drew a bigger crowd than ever, about 240 town and … Continue Reading
April 08, 2014
WWLP NBC 22 Springfield: $4.8M grant to help low-income youth
By: Joel Martinez April 8, 2014 WASHINGTON, DC (WWLP) - Senators Elizabeth Warren, Edward Markey and Congressman Stephen Lynch applauded the announcement of a $4,867,815 grant to Jobs for the Future, Inc. through the Youth CareerConnect program. The grant was announced on Monday by President Obama, and will help Jobs for the Future provide support for students to acquire critical career skills. According to Sen. Warren's office, Jobs for the Future, Inc. offers a range of programs to help … Continue Reading
April 08, 2014
Springfield Republican: Sen. Elizabeth Warren urges colleagues to pass Paycheck Fairness Act addressing income inequality between men and women
By: Robert Rizzuto April 8, 2014 U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., took to the floor of the Senate Tuesday to urge her colleagues to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, which addresses pay inequalities between men and women in America. The bill would require employers to prove that any discrepancies between male and female pay are job-related and not based in discrimination. Its inception stems in part by a census report which concluded that women typically earn 77 cents for every dollar their … Continue Reading
April 08, 2014
Berkshire Eagle: Neal, Senators push action to restore emergency services for North County
By: Tony Dobrowolski April 8,2014 PITTSFIELD -- U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, has asked the administrator for the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services to expedite the process that would restore emergency medical and hospice services to Northern Berkshire County. The letter to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner has also been signed by Massachusetts' two U.S. senators, Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey. In the letter, Neal, Warren and Markey have asked CMS for its assistance … Continue Reading
April 07, 2014
WBUR: Drug Take-Back Day Aims To Stem Abuse
April 7, 2014 BOSTON - State and local leaders are asking Massachusetts residents to turn in their old prescription drugs at local police departments and other designated drop-off sites. National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, on April 26, comes after a stark rise in the number of overdoses this year. At Monday's Boston City Hall event, politicians said Massachusetts had 600 drug overdose deaths last year, up from 300 about 12 years ago. The state has declared heroin overdoses and opioid … Continue Reading
March 26, 2014
Bay State Banner: Sen. Warren convenes local businesses, U.S. agencies
By: Martin Desmarais March 26,2014 Small businesses got a chance to pitch their services to government agencies and government contractors in a bid to get a piece of the multi-billion-dollar pie that is offered by the federal sector every year. The event, which was attended by about 200 Massachusetts small businesses at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center, featured 25 government agencies and prime contractors - including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Environmental … Continue Reading
March 25, 2014
Martha's Vineyard Times: Lawmakers applaud Vineyard Social Security video link
March 25,2014 United States Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congressman Bill Keating applauded the Social Security Administration's (SSA) decision to offer Social Security services on Martha's Vineyard via the use of video teleconferencing technology in a press release issued Monday. Social Security ended regular monthly visits to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket in early 2011. Senator Warren and Congressman Keating had urged SSA to restore the critical services for residents on Martha's Vineyard … Continue Reading
March 23, 2014
Associated Press: Sen. Warren to hold "business matchmaker" event
March 23, 2014 BOSTON - U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is hosting what she's calling a "Massachusetts Business Matchmaker" event to help local businesses, government agencies and government contractors forge partnerships. Warren said she wants to make sure small businesses owners have a better understanding of opportunities to work with the federal government. The Massachusetts Democrat said the Monday event will let contractors and government agencies meet one-on-one with qualified small business … Continue Reading
March 21, 2014
Springfield Republican: Holyoke Fire Department could hire 8 new firefighters with $1 million federal grant
By Mike Plaisance March 21, 2014 HOLYOKE -- The Fire Department would be able to hire eight new firefighters and pay their salaries and benefits for two years with a $1 million federal grant the city received Friday. "That's great, couldn't have come at a better time, especially with the financial times the city is facing," Fire Chief John A. Pond said. U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey, both D-Mass., and U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, announced the grant … Continue Reading
