The democratically controlled Congress should boost the federal minimum wage, reduce by 50 percent the interest on college student loans, and give the Medicaid system the authority to bargain with major drug companies to lower the cost of prescription drugs for seniors.

The Michigan based Citizens for Action says without this legislation, the truly needy will continue to suffer.

Brandon White from the U.S. College Student Association reports that 400,000 students who wanted to attend college last year could not because the costs were too high. Slicing the interest rates on college loans, he claims, could save students about $5,600 a year.