Your Voice Matters: Tools and Tips for Law Students Concerned About Federal Loan Policies

Are you a law student concerned about possible changes to the Grad PLUS Loan program, a public servant working towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) but unsure if the program will remain, or a borrower worried about having an affordable option to repay your federal loans? If so, as the new 119th Congress settles in, now is the time to reach out to your Members of Congress to discuss the issues that impact you and share the legislative outcomes you would like to see in 2025.

The prevailing thought has always been that advocacy should take place during specific bill negotiations. However, that could be too late. Educating and establishing a relationship with your Members of Congress before that process begins is even more critical. Doing so will make it more likely that your Members will know who you are and will be receptive to your concerns when it comes time to negotiate the terms of important higher education bills, such as the Higher Education Act.

But how do you do it? Some of the ways we encourage you to get involved include first making sure that you stay informed about the issues you’re concerned about, then reaching out by emailing your Members of Congress or meeting with them (or their staff) in your state or district to educate them about how certain policies will impact you.

Maybe that sounds daunting, but don’t worry! AccessLex has made navigating that process easy with our #MakeTheCase tools that can help no matter where you are in the process.

• Our Advocacy Toolkit contains information on critical policy issues and useful tips for effective advocacy.
• Key legislation will keep you up-to-date on what Congress is working on.
• The pre-written emails allow you to contact your Senators and Representative about current education issues making their way through Congress.
• Our research and reports let you take a deep dive before your meetings on policy issues related to graduate student borrowing, PSLF, bankruptcy, and more.

Understand your stake and be a part of the conversation. To affect positive change, we first have to #MakeTheCase!