- There are two weeks left for the public to comment on Biden’s new student-debt relief plan.
- Once the public comment period ends, the administration will move toward final implementation.
- Still, legal challenges and the election pose threats to the debt cancellation.
The American people have just two weeks left to give President Joe Biden’s administration input on its new student-loan forgiveness plan.
On April 17, the Education Department published its draft rules for a broader version of debt relief to the Federal Register. First unveiled in early April, the new plan is expected to benefit over 30 million borrowers through a range of provisions, including canceling unpaid interest for borrowers and providing debt relief to those who have made at least 20 years of payments.
This new plan is intended to replace Biden’s first attempt at relief that the Supreme Court struck down last summer. In contrast to the first plan, this one requires the administration to undergo a process known as negotiated rulemaking, which entails a series of negotiations with stakeholders and an opportunity for the public to comment on the plans before final implementation.
The plan is now in the public comment period, and there are two weeks left for anyone who wishes to provide input on the administration’s proposals. So far, according to the Federal Register, the plan has received 24,532 comments as of Friday morning.
The comments are available to be viewed publicly, and some of them were supportive of Biden’s plan. One stated:
“The more student loan debt that can be forgiven the better. My mom’s loans were forgiven last month, and it has changed her life. The period of time when my loans were paused allowed me to buy a home. My loans are currently in repayment, and if that burden could be lifted it would be life-changing for me.”
Meanwhile, others were more critical:
“No if you borrow money you need to pay it back. why should people who are hard working pay for a lazy person school. student loans needs to be payed back by the borrower not by people who are working for a living.”
Once the public comment period ends on May 17, the Education Department can choose to adjust its proposals based on the feedback it received or move ahead toward final implementation. In the coming months, the department also plans to unveil a separate proposal to get relief to borrowers experiencing financial hardship, which will also have a public comment period.
The department has said it plans to move as quickly as possible with the relief this fall, but not only does the presidential election bring uncertainty to the fate of the relief — it’s highly likely legal challenges will once again attempt to block it from carrying out.
For example, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey wrote on X that he would see Biden in court after the release of new details for the debt relief, and he already filed a lawsuit to block the SAVE income-driven repayment plan, arguing it was an overreach of the administration’s authority.
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