Tuesday, March 11, 2008

The Post highlighted rising educational debt and its impact on career choices ["Credit Crisis May Make College Loans More Costly," front page March 3]. Particularly troubling is that the burden of debt has aggravated attrition within the leadership ranks of the nonprofit world.

Last fall, Congress enacted the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which makes college more affordable. Within this law is a measure that brings special relief to those who enter the nonprofit world. This provision, also known as the Education for Public Service Act, will allow graduates with direct federal loans and consolidated federal loans to obtain immediate reductions in their monthly payments as well as loan forgiveness after 10 years in public service.

Linking loan forgiveness to a decade in the nonprofit sector will not only help build careers, it will create future leaders in the field.

JOHN SARBANES

U.S. Representative (D-Md.)

Washington

The writer was the author of the Education for Public Service Act.