Her comments were in stark contrast to the pressure campaign by Schumer, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D.Mass.). Since months, progressives have worked together to convince Biden to quickly eliminate the debt owed to tens of thousands of loan borrowers.Schumer has led the call to cancel up to $50,000 in federal student loan debt. He has stated repeatedly that Biden can do this with a flick of a pen.Schumer, who was wearing a facecover with #CancelStudentDebt all over the Capitol on Tuesday, stated that he believes they are making progress in convincing the Biden administration. He stated that the White House's concerns about student loan debt forgiveness had mostly disappeared. Schumer stated that we don't hear about it anymore.Pelosi made the most outlandish comments about student debt on Wednesday, saying that the Biden administration does not have executive action.She said that the president cannot do it and that there is no discussion. It is not obvious to everyone that the president cannot postpone, delay, or forgive student loans. She stated that it would require an act of Congress and not an executive order to cancel student loan debt.Pelosi stated that the topic of student debt cancellation programs was up for debate. She described the policy debate as one about whether more people should be able to get relief from more or less debt.She also expressed concerns about student loan debt cancellation. She gave the example of a family that has no child at college paying taxes to forgo someone else's obligation.Pelosi stated that cancelling student loan debt must be seen in a fair light, where there is something that offers opportunity, which is the big word, that provides opportunity for all American families.Pelosis' remarks were rebuffed by progressives who support widespread debt cancellation. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D.Mich.), said that even though your child doesn't want to fight in the endless shadow wars around the world, they are still paying taxes to do so. It's possible you won't be happy about it.Biden stated publicly that he is not willing to cancel $50,000 per borrower. However, he said that he would be more comfortable with $10,000 per borrower. This amount of loan forgiveness was something he promised during his campaign.According to the White House, it is currently reviewing whether it has legal authority to cancel student loan debt by executive action.In January, Education Department officials under Trump issued a legal opinion stating that the agency does not have the authority to cancel large amounts of student loan debts without legislation.Although the Biden administration is not required to adhere to that legal opinion, it has not publicly rescinded the memo or modified it. It remains posted on Education Departments' website.Warren was the first to propose cancelling student loan debt with executive authority during her 2020 presidential race. She argued that it is obvious that federal law already gives the secretary of education the power to forgive student loans owed the Education Department.Warren stated Tuesday that the administration has the power and ability to accomplish this task with a single stroke of a pen.
