Washington, D.C.– The House is expected to vote today on a resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to repeal President Biden's student debt relief plan, end the current loan payment suspension and require retroactive student loan payments from borrowers, including waived interest.
In addition, using the CRA – a tool that allows Congress to reverse final rules issued by federal agencies – would nullify the Biden administration’s latest income-driven repayment (IDR) and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) reforms, and reverse student loan forgiveness already approved for tens of thousands of borrowers under PSLF, immediately creating a financial burden for military service members, government first responders, public school teachers and other public service workers. Learn more about this proposal.
“This is yet another political stunt from some members of Congress to prevent tens of millions of borrowers, including low-wealth individuals, servicemembers, public service workers, women and people of color from receiving relief ahead of the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the fate of student debt cancellation,” said Jaylon Herbin, director of federal campaigns at the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL). “Resuming the payment pause without student loan forgiveness, let alone requiring students to retroactively pay months’ worth of student loan payments, will add thousands of dollars into the average borrower’s loan balance, lead millions into forbearance and default and contribute to a widening racial wealth gap.”
“These actions are not only irresponsible but demonstrate a genuine lack of concern for the nation’s overall economic health and the financial well-being of millions of U.S. individuals and families,” Herbin said.
At the beginning of the month, a coalition of 261 organizations sent Congress a letter asking them to reject efforts to use the CRA to retroactively reverse the federal student loan payment moratorium and block the President’s student debt relief plan.
Additional Background
- The Biden administration’s student loan cancellation plan, announced in August 2022, would forgive up to $20,000 per borrower in federal student loans for more than 44 million Americans.
- The plan was met with legal challenges from conservative states and is currently being reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court, which is expected to issue a decision by late June 2023. The student loan payment pause will end 60 days after a ruling is made by the Court or 60 days after June 30th, whichever comes first.
- Recent updated data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) shows that millions of student loan borrowers are likely to struggle once their monthly student loan payments are reinstated. The study also shows how student debt cancellation may substantially reduce the number of borrowers at risk when the payment moratorium ends.
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Press Contact: Vincenza Previte vincenza.previte@responsiblelending.org