Kicking the can down the road?_其他_趣味英语-查字典英语网

Kicking the can down the road?

- Top Democrat wants wealthy people to pay higher taxes, AP, November 7, 2017.

2. Congress is deadlocked over what to do with student-loan interest rates, meaning rates on some subsidized student loans will double come July 1.

This is despite a flurry of proposals, including at least two on Thursday alone. Nevertheless, Congress is set to break for 10 days away from Washington without a fix, meaning students looking to finance their college education will be uneasily waiting for Congress to get its act together before the fall semester.

But so far, there’s little prospect of compromise even when lawmakers return after the Independence Day recess. Congressional Democrats, for example, are posturing that they won’t bend to a bipartisan proposal that would stabilize rates now but could lead to higher rates in the future.

“Students around this country would rather have no deal than a bad deal,” said Sen. Jack Reed (D) of Rhode Island, a sponsor of the main Democratic proposal to fix student-loan rates.

The clash on the Hill illuminates a deep policy divide between the two parties with heavy political overtones.

In May, House Republicans passed a measure that, like President Obama’s budget proposal, calls for a long-term student-loan fix that pegs interest rates to the cost that the federal government incurs to borrow money.