Democrats Inch Away From Biden on Student Loans

Multiple Democratic lawmakers who are facing tough reelections in November distanced themselves from Biden’s student loan forgiveness program.

Lawmakers believe Biden should not have introduced sweeping reforms unanimously, as it undermines the authority of Congress.

Dems Not Ready to Back Biden on Student Loan Relief

Even Democrats who previously voted in favor of a multibillion-dollar student loan relief bill have hammered Biden on his student loan cancellation program.

In 2020, Congress debated an earlier version of the HEROES Act, which aimed to forgive student loans up to $10,000 per borrower.

Most House Democrats voted for the bill before it was reduced to a smaller version of the coronavirus relief bill. This was eventually signed by then-President Trump without the presence of any student debt relief.

Three Democrats, including Reps. Kim Schrier, Chris Pappas, and Tom Malinowski, voted in favor of the HEROES Act in 2020, but slammed Biden on his student loans actions this time.

Reportedly, all three of them are facing tough reelections, which is urging them to adopt a more moderate approach ahead of their November races.

Speaking about Biden’s latest handouts, Schrier asserted she is a firm supporter of providing monetary relief to students who are unable to fund their education, but this is not the right way to announce such a sweeping measure. 

According to Schrier, Biden’s student loan relief plan lacks a targeted approach, which means Biden should have found a proper way to fund this socialist agenda. 

Furthermore, Schrier noted the government should push students into such educational programs where the demand is high these days, which would have empowered them to pay back their loans.

Likewise, Congressman Pappas accused Biden of canceling Congress while pursuing his socialist agenda of student debt relief.

Biden Ignored Root Causes of Student Loans

Similarly, Congressman Malinowski asserted he never supports canceling student loans by burdening an average American taxpayer.

Instead, Malinowski continued, the government should focus on getting the loans back by eliminating chronic interest rates, which push students into an endless debt trap.

In addition to that, Democratic Congresswoman Sharice Davis, who is vulnerable to losing her midterm election, also distanced herself from Biden’s student loans plan.

Davis argued the government should work on making education more affordable and helping students with getting high-paid jobs and apprenticeships so they are not buried under big loans in the first place.

Another Democratic lawmaker, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, claimed Congress should lead the efforts of introducing reforms in student loans by increasing Pell Grants and making education more affordable.

According to a public policy organization, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Biden’s handouts will cost nearly $500 billion to American taxpayers.

Previously, the White House denied assertions that American taxpayers will be burdened under the student debt relief program.