Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) are urging Congress to include student debt cancellation as part of the next relief package to help ease the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
Warren, who first proposed a plan to wipe out $1.5 trillion worth of debt in April 2019 with the Student Loan Debt Relief Act, declared the aid “MUST” be a part of a coronavirus relief package.
“Student loan debt cancellation MUST be a part of the next emergency coronavirus package to deliver relief immediately to millions of families and remove a giant weight that’s dragging down our economy,” Warren said. “Senate and House progressives are in this fight all the way.”
Student loan debt cancellation MUST be a part of the next emergency coronavirus package to deliver relief immediately to millions of families and remove a giant weight that’s dragging down our economy. Senate and House progressives are in this fight all the way.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 17, 2020
Pressley, a former co-chair for Warren’s presidential campaign, wrote on Twitter: “Student loan cancellation has to be part of the next emergency funding package. @SenWarren & I are calling on Senate & House leadership to prioritize this.”
“We need bold action now. A plan that will ensure that we do not repeat the mistakes of the 2008 financial crisis. Debt cancellation,” the freshman congresswoman added. “Immediately, the Secretary of Education must take over all monthly payments during this public health emergency.”
We need bold action now. A plan that will ensure that we do not repeat the mistakes of the 2008 financial crisis.
Debt cancellation. Across the board.
Immediately, the Secretary of Education must take over all monthly payments during this public health emergency.
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) March 17, 2020
New York Attorney General Letitia James said New York state will suspend student debt payment collection.
“Effective immediately, I’m temporarily halting the collection of state medical & student debt owed to NYS that was referred to my office,” tweeted James. “In this time of crisis, I won’t add undue stress or saddle NYers with unnecessary financial burden, this is the time to support residents.”
President Donald Trump has already moved to help students with their debt, announcing Friday that he has waived interest payments on all federal student loans.
“To help our students and our families, I’ve waived interest on all student loans held by federal government agencies,” President Trump said in a Rose Garden press conference. “That’s a big thing for a lot of students who are left in the middle right now,” he added. “Many of those schools have been closed.”
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