Associated Students of Madison’s Legislative Affairs will join the Association of Big Ten Students in their summit in March with US senators from around the country in Washington D.C. to bring attention to the affordability of education.

The main function of the summit would be to discuss ABTS’ support of a federal loan reform bill that is currently being debated by the House of Representatives.

Legislative Affairs Committee Chair Adam Johnson said he helped bring the issue to the attention of the ABTS. He added this bill would affect students throughout the country.

Johnson said more than half of college students take out student loans.

“These loans can have a huge impact on how much money you owe for college,” Johnson said.

Representatives from all Big Ten Schools will attend the summit, Johnson said, where they would meet with at least one senator from each state that is home to a Big Ten school, including Sen. Herb Kohl D-Wis., and Sen. Russ Feingold D-Wis.

He added the students would also meet with Rep. Tom Petri, R-Wis., one of the original authors of the bill.

The students and representatives will discuss the importance of education in their states and the unique challenges each state faces.

Many details of the summit are only tentative, Johnson said, adding there is still a lot to be planned.

Johnson noted this is an exciting opportunity for him because student governments rarely have the opportunity to weigh in on national issues.

However, Student Service Finance Committee Chair Brandon Williams said Johnson’s ability to attend the summit may face serious challenges in terms of financing.

He said there is no money in this year’s ASM budget for general travel and LAC only has $100 in its budget for travel.

For the trip to get funding, money designated for something else would have to be moved, Williams said, which requires special approval.

“If this trip were to be made possible it would have to come to the authority of the chair, the vice chair or the finance chair,” Williams said.