"It's an issue that a lot of people careabout," Nixon says. "In the offices, there isoften a sympathetic reaction."

Both Cotton and Nixon place U.S. Sen. Edward M.Kennedy '54-'56 (D-Mass.) at the top of the listof legislators with whom they have spokenregarding the threat to student aid.

Kennedy, the liberal stalwart and former chairof the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee,has traditionally been a strong supporter offunding for higher education.

In a speech last month at the National PressClub, Kennedy said he opposes any cuts in studentfinancial assistance.

"Let's hold the line against even one cent ofRepublican cuts in college aid," Kennedy said."How dare anyone offer a Contract with Americathat professes allegiance to the middle class butthat would slam college doors in the face of theirchildren."

Kennedy's Republican successor as chair atLabor and Human Resources, Sen. Nancy L. Kassebaum(R-Kan.) supports financial assistance for highereducation but is also aware of the immensepressure to balance the budget, says Mike Horak,her spokesperson.

"The reality of the matter is that as theSenate prepares to vote on the Balanced BudgetAmendment, everything that is federally fundedwill come under very close scrutiny," Horak says."I think that extends to student loans."

But Kassebaum's committee is not the firstarena for the discussion of student aid measures.That honor rests with Kasich's House BudgetCommittee.

Massachusetts currently has only onerepresentative on the committee, U.S. Rep. John W.Olver (D-Amherst).

Olver opposes any cuts in financial aidfunding, according to Leslie Lillard, hisspokesperson.

"What John Olver is going to be trying to do isblock efforts to decrease the larger pool[available to education]--that's basically hismission," she says. "John Olver believes that oneof the most important things that the federalgovernment should do is ensure that young peoplewho want to go to college can."

Not all of Olver's colleagues on the BudgetCommittee share his view, however.

Republican members of the committee, whodrafted a proposal to balance the budget andattached it to the Contract with America in adocument which many perceive to be part of theContract, proposed the cuts in the in-schoolinterest subsidy and campus-based programs in thedocument.

But Tony Blankley, spokesperson for Speaker ofthe House and Contract guru Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.)insists the Budget Committee document is not partof the Contract with America.

"It was not part of the Contract but was adescription of one possible way to get to thebudget cuts," he says. "Other than SocialSecurity, nothing is off the table, includingdefense."