U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu will host a Google Hangout today at 3:10 p.m. today with current college students and young professionals.

She plans to talk with them about how her 'Passport to the Middle Class Initiative' will make college more affordable and more accessible.

The discussion is open to the public and will happen today via Google Hangout

Landrieu says her initiative includes the 'Bank on Students Emergency Loan Act' with student loans to refinance those loans at 3.86%.

Landrieu's office reports that some 600,000 students in Louisiana have borrowed money to go to school, and the average loan per student is $22,789.

Landrieu says that getting borrowers a better rate would save an average of $8,000 over the life of the loan which is typically 25 years.

Another part of the 'Middle Class CHANCE Act' would increase Pell Grant awards from $5,730 to $8,900 to keep up with the rising costs of college.  She says the current Pell Grant award for next year would cover only about an average of one-third of the cost of a four-year college in our state.

You can watch live by clicking here.

WATCH LIVE ONLINE:  http://www.landrieu.senate.gov/?p=form&id=20

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