U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) told the Supreme Court today to deny President Biden’s challenge to the student loan debt relief program, providing much-needed relief to tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders and their families. I asked for it to flow.
“Student debt is an anchor that holds back borrowers and their families, and the president’s debt relief program is helping thousands of Rhode Islanders buy homes, start families, and educate their own children,” Whitehouse said. “The Supreme Court should dismiss these political challenges that are putting families in financial trouble.”
The 2020 class of University of Rhode Island graduates graduated with an average student loan burden of $44,576. Last year, President Biden announced plans to waive up to $10,000 in federal student loans for Americans earning less than his $125,000 a year, and up to $20,000 for recipients of Pell’s grants. Did.
The latest White House effort shows that 96,000 Rhode Islanders and more than 25 million Americans applied for debt relief in the four weeks the program was in effect, according to new data released by the U.S. Department of Education. , was automatically considered eligible for debt forgiveness. Applications for more than 63,000 Rhode Islanders were fully approved and sent to his loan servicer, but the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals canceled his program in November, leaving applicants stuck. rice field. Two of his lawsuits challenging President Biden’s program are scheduled for oral argument in the Supreme Court later this month.
The White House has long supported legislation that would allow Americans to pay off student loans. Since hearing from early applicants who were caught in the bureaucracy of the Public Service Loan Forbearance (PSLF) program several years ago, the White House has doggedly pursued modifications to the program to help voters navigate the application process. have worked to do so.
Last June, the White House introduced the PSLF Simplification and Enhancement Act to streamline and improve the program. In addition to making the Biden administration waivers permanent, the PSLF Simplification and Enhancement Act will reduce the number of payments required to qualify for the PSLF loan forgiveness while working for a qualified employer to 10 years. It will reduce from 120 times to 60 times in 5 years. The White House also introduced the Zero Percent Student Loan Refinancing Act. This allows Americans to refinance their federal student loans at zero percent interest.
Rhode Islanders going through the student loan debt relief application process should contact the White House Senator’s Office at 401-453-5294 for assistance.
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