U.S. President Joe Biden announced the cancellation of nearly $5 billion in student debt for an additional 74,000 borrowers.
More than half of the relief went to individuals who earned forgiveness after 10 years of public service as teachers, nurses, and firefighters.
This move, part of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts, brings the total student debt forgiveness to $136.6 billion for over 3.7 million Americans.
Public Service and Long-Term Repayment Cases Addressed:
Approximately 44,000 of the borrowers benefiting from the relief have a decade of public service, while close to 30,000 individuals have been repaying loans for over 20 years but did not receive relief through income-driven repayment plans.
Continued Efforts and New SAVE Repayment Plan:
President Biden pledged to persist in delivering student debt relief despite the Supreme Court’s June 30 ruling blocking a broader debt cancellation plan.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona stated that the Department of Education is working on delivering greater debt relief for more borrowers and implementing a new SAVE repayment plan to expedite loan forgiveness.
Addressing Concerns of Progressive Voters:
Addressing student loan debt has been a priority for progressive voters, who are part of the coalition that supported Biden in the 2020 election.
The issue remains important to younger voters, who have expressed concerns about foreign policy decisions and have called for more significant debt forgiveness.