Cait Conley
In the debate, supported a cap on federal student-loan interest rates, without specifying a rate. Would invest in trade skills and apprenticeships so a four-year degree is not the only route to the middle class.
Back to the race record
Issue record
College costs and job training
In short
In the debate, Cait Conley backed a cap on federal student-loan interest rates without naming a rate, and her campaign backs trade skills and apprenticeships. In the debate, Mike Lawler backed a 2% rate for certain federal student loans and more vocational schooling. On the record, he introduced that plan as H.R. 2003 with Jared Moskowitz as a cosponsor. It is in committee and is not law.
Campaign positions
What each campaign says.
Mike Lawler
In the debate, backed a 2% interest rate for specified federal student loans and more vocational schooling. His H.R. 2003 proposal has been introduced and referred to committee; it has not become law.
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Evidence timeline
What the record shows.
official action
Mike Lawler: Matches stated record claim
He sponsored H.R. 2003 with Moskowitz as an original cosponsor, but its 2% rate remains a proposal for specified federal loans.
Full detail
Lawler said he introduced a bipartisan proposal with Jared Moskowitz to cap student-loan interest rates at 2%. Lawler introduced H.R. 2003, the Affordable Loans for Students Act, March 10, 2025. Jared Moskowitz and Anna Paulina Luna were original cosponsors. Its text proposes a 2.0% rate for specified federal loans, modifying eligible Secretary-held loans and permitting refinancing of specified other federal loans. Its new Direct-loan rule would apply after the first July 1 following enactment. The captured action history shows introduction and committee referral, not passage or enactment. Limit: This establishes the proposal and the named bipartisan introduction. It does not set a current rate for every student loan or cover every private loan. Nearby claims about debt amounts, job prospects and healthcare are not validated by the text. Debate wording is paraphrased from native captions.
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Sources3 source records
- News 12 debate: college costs and vocational pathwayshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIU9kcsAldc&t=1116s
News 12 · Published Sep 28, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 7, 2026
18:36-19:09 Lawler; 19:15-19:47 Conley. Conley supports an interest cap but does not specify 2%. Paraphrase from the host-matched native captions captured October 4; no independently confirmed exact quotation. Full native payload retained privately.
candidate statement
News 12 NY-17 debate, Lawler on student-loan interest, 18:36News 12 · Published Sep 28, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 7, 2026
Host-matched native caption segments 535-539, 18:36.080-18:52.720. Paraphrase only; no independently corroborated verbatim quote. Captured via Supadata native mode on October 4, with no generated transcription.
candidate statement
For: Cait Conley: campaign position; Mike Lawler: campaign position; Mike Lawler: Matches stated record claim
- H.R. 2003 (119th Congress), Affordable Loans for Students Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2003
Congress.gov · Published Mar 10, 2025 · Reviewed Oct 7, 2026
Current Congress API detail, complete actions (3) and cosponsors (7) captured October 4. Sponsor Lawler; original cosponsors Moskowitz and Luna. Latest action introduction/referral to Education and Workforce on March 10, 2025. No law listed.
official legislative record
For: Mike Lawler: campaign position; Mike Lawler: Matches stated record claim
- H.R. 2003, introduced House text, sections 3 and 4https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr2003ih/html/BILLS-119hr2003ih.htm
U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Mar 10, 2025 · Reviewed Oct 7, 2026
Sets a 2% rate for specified eligible existing federal loans through modification/refinancing and specified future Direct loans. Operates after enactment; it does not cover all private loans.
official legislative record
For: Mike Lawler: campaign position; Mike Lawler: Matches stated record claim