Congress passed a version of the Direct Loan program under President George H.W. Bush, but Bush promised to veto it. Candidate Bill Clinton promised that he would sign such legislation into law if elected, and the Direct Loan program was one of the first laws he signed in 1993. Some of the more fiscally-conservative Republicans have fought to end the program or make its terms less attractive to students once Republicans took over Congress in 1994. Notably, U.S. Rep. John Hostettler of Indiana was a leader amongst these. Over 700 students at Indiana University plus the entire Bloomington City Council signed a petition in 1995 to oppose Hostettler's plan to abolish the program. The Indiana University Student Association passed a resolution in opposition to his plan by a margin of 38-3 in February of 1996.
Photo Banyolan Rambut Edan
