Press Releases

Chester, PA — Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) today issued the following statement on President Biden’s student loan debt forgiveness plan to cancel $10,000 of federal student loan debt for borrowers making under $125,000 annually, cancel up to $20,000 of federal student loan debt for Pell Grant recipients, extend the pause on student loan payments until December 31, 2022, and make the existing student loan system more manageable for borrowers:

“I applaud President Biden’s action to address the student loan crisis which has saddled so many Americans with crippling debt, preventing them from buying homes and cars, starting families and businesses, and even retiring. It is also a racial justice issue, with the burden falling disproportionately on Black and Brown borrowers.

"The President's plan will cancel $20,000 of federal student loan debt for Pell Grant recipients and $10,000 of federal debt for those who need it most, delivering targeted relief to 43 million Americans.

"While the targeted relief delivers much-needed breathing room for Americans struggling to keep up with high monthly payments, it is imperative we also take further action to address the underlying causes that have driven student debt to such astronomic levels. To that end, I am glad to see the President’s student debt relief plan expand on his administration's previous actions to reform our existing student loan repayment system by proposing a more generous income-driven repayment plan and enhancing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, through which the President has already canceled $10 billion in student debt.

“I look forward to building on this progress by continuing to work closely with the Administration and my colleagues in Congress to address the burden of growing college costs and make the student loan system more affordable and fair,  to give working families more breathing room and increase opportunity for all.”

Find more information on President Biden’s student loan relief plan here. 

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