Higher Ed Policy Roundup: Vol. 6 - Issue 25

On Monday, Democratic Members of Congress sent a letter urging Education Department (ED) Secretary Miguel Cardona to extend the temporary Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) waiver to allow public servants more time to take advantage of the program. Recall that the waiver, announced in early October 2021, was intended to overhaul the PSLF program and extend relief to student borrowers who had not previously qualified for forgiveness. The letter argued that although the waiver has been successful, accounting for nearly 91 percent of PSLF discharges to date, only 15 percent of public service workers with student debt have completed the paperwork necessary to track their progress towards forgiveness. The lawmakers urged ED to extend the waiver to July 1, 2023, coinciding with the date that the ED’s new PSLF regulations are set to take effect. The waiver is currently set to expire on October 31, 2022. 

NPR gives a look inside the legal battle to stop President Biden's student loan relief.

The White House warns of student loan scams related to forgiveness.
 

The following bills have been recently introduced for consideration by the 117th Congress (2021-2022):

H.R. 9097 – [Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC-6)] would expand and improve the PSLF program.

H.R. 9065 – [Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA-9)] would provide interest relief under the PSLF program.

S. 5065 – Protect Student Borrowers Act [Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)] would reform institutional accountability and how institutions bear the financial risk of student loan default in federal student loan programs.