Millions of federal student-loan borrowers just got an additional four month reprieve from making payments, and the White House indicated more relief will be coming.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told Pod Save America last that it was either going to be extended again or canceled.
In March, the chief of staff to the president told a radio show that the president would either extend the pause again or decide how to act after May 1.
While the announcement contained no mention of broad student-loan forgiveness, many Democratic lawmakers and advocates are hoping that will be the next step the president takes to address the growing $1.7
The GOP did not want another extension and the Democrats wanted a longer one, but some leading lawmakers are optimistic about what will happen next. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said during a virtual summit last week that he has talked to Biden a lot about student debt relief.
Schumer said they were working on it. We are making progress. The White House seems to be more open to it.
The messaging from the White House on student-debt relief has remained consistent over the past few months. Earlier this month, she noted that Biden has not ruled out using executive action to cancel student debt, despite the fact that she told reporters that he would happily sign it.
If Biden chooses to use his authority, it is unlikely that he will wipe out the entire student-debt load. Many Democrats were hoping for full cancellation when Psaki told Fox News last week that she suspects borrowers will have to make payments at some point during the Biden administration.
Lawmakers just want to see progress made. Elizabeth Warren, who championed the $50,000 student-debt cancellation proposal, was one of the nearly 100 lawmakers who recently called on Biden to cancel a meaningful amount of student debt.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
