Higher Ed Policy Roundup: Vol. 7 - Issue 17

On Tuesday, the House passed H.J. Res 45, a resolution that allows Congress to use its Congressional Review Act (CRA) authority to stop the Biden-Harris Administration's debt relief plan. The resolution passed 218-203, with two Democratic members joining Republicans to vote in favor of invalidating the student loan forgiveness plan. President Biden has said he will veto the resolution if it passes the Senate.

Earlier this week, the head of the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) Richard Cordray and Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal testified before the House Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development of the Committee on Education and the Workforce at a hearing on the Biden-Harris Administration's student loan policies. In addition to topics such as the new FAFSA, a revised income-driven repayment (IDR) plan, and debt cancellation, the hearing focused on payment restart. Cordray said that FSA has been working with servicers on a plan and intends to use social media to communicate information to borrowers such as how to set up auto-pay and how to enroll in an IDR plan. 

Finally, the Education Department has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget its final regulations regarding the new IDR plan it crafted through the negotiated rulemaking process last year. This is one of the last steps in the process before the final regulations will be published. 

President Biden discussed the benefits of his student debt relief plan for marginalized students at Howard University's spring commencement.

A recent analysis from The Pew Charitable Trusts estimates that the updated IDR plan will support borrowers in adjusting financially to student loan repayment resumption.

There were no relevant student-aid related bills recently introduced for consideration by the 118th Congress (2023-2024).