US House Votes To Extend Low Student Loan Rates

(Reuters) - The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives defied a veto threat by President Barack Obama on Friday and voted to take money from his healthcare overhaul to pay for an extension of low-interest federal student loans.

On a mostly party-line vote of 215-195, the House sent the measure to the Senate where Obama's Democrats are certain to reject it. Senate Democrats want to renew the low interest rate for students, but they favor covering the cost by ending a tax break for the rich. Obama supports the lower tax break extension but objects to the Republican plan for paying for it.