Dear MoveOn member,
The last few weeks have been filled with lots of updates on student debt
cancellation—and the most important one is that the application for the
Biden administration's student loan cancellation program has officially
been released!
[ [link removed] ]If you owe federal student loan debt and meet the eligibility criteria,
here is a direct link to the Department of Education website where you can
fill out a cancellation application.
It's critical that you apply as soon as possible—the application takes
less than a minute and can be done directly from your phone! More than 22
million Americans already applied, a testament to how many folks will be
profoundly impacted by this policy. ([ [link removed] ]Let us know if you're one of the
22 million people who have submitted an application for loan cancellation,
so we have a sense of how many MoveOn members this affects!)
Meanwhile, Republicans are trying their best to kill the cancellation
program. Six state attorneys general, all representing
Republican-controlled states (Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas,
and South Carolina), have come together and filed a joint lawsuit trying
to reverse the Biden administration's historic plan. The case is currently
being heard by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has ordered that
the Biden administration pause on cancellation until it comes to a
decision.^1 Despite GOP attempts to reverse this policy, which will
benefit millions of working families, the Biden administration is still
encouraging everyone who qualifies for relief to sign up as soon as
possible.
The fact that Republicans are trying to kill loan cancellation is
unfathomable, but it's also unsurprising given the fanatic MAGA
right-wingers controlling the party. If they take back control of the
House and Senate next month, you can bet that they'll be coming for every
Biden administration accomplishment in similar fashion.
[ [link removed] ]Will you sign up for a phone bank in support of Democrats running for
federal and state office across the country? With nearly two weeks to go
until Election Day, we're now in the final stretch. We need to ensure that
every last voter is contacted.
At the end of last month, we wrote to you with a summary of the student
loan cancellation process. You can find our original message below.
Thanks for all you do.
–Arvin, Jaira, Maralyn, Mia, and the rest of the team
P.S. [ [link removed] ]Remember to take just a few minutes and apply to have your student
loan cancelled. Already applied for student loan cancellation? [ [link removed] ]Take our
quick MoveOn member student loan cancellation survey here! It should take
no longer than two minutes to complete, and it will give us vital
information to guide our campaigning.
Source:
1. "Federal appeals court temporarily halts Biden’s student debt relief
program," Politico, October 21, 2022
[link removed]
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Dear MoveOn member,
On August 24, the Biden administration announced that it would be
canceling student loan debt for borrowers with federal loans if their
income is less than $125,000/year. These borrowers will be eligible for up
to $10,000 in cancellation, unless they are Pell Grant recipients, in
which case they'll be eligible for up to $20,000.
Biden's plan will reconfigure monthly payments on undergraduate loan debt,
capping them at 5% of discretionary income. It will also cover accrued
unpaid interest, so that no borrower's loan balance will grow as long as
they make their payments.^1
This is a huge deal. There are millions of stories of borrowers who have
never missed a single payment, yet the interest rates on their loans are
so high and exploitative that their total debt balloons out of control.
This fix will provide a lifeline to many.
If you're a borrower who qualifies for student debt relief, [ [link removed] ]be sure to
sign up on the Department of Education's website for email updates on the
cancellation process.
Despite the historic relief that President Biden's plan provides,
Republicans across the country are fighting to kill it. This is
unconscionable, given the skyrocketing levels of student debt and
astronomically high costs of higher education.^2 Republicans are making it
clear: They want to entrap tens of millions of Americans in cycles of debt
and make education inaccessible to large segments of our nation's
populace.
The Biden administration's historic student debt relief plan is a critical
first step in addressing the crisis of higher education affordability.
Multiple polls show that voters, especially young voters, overwhelmingly
approve of Biden's recent decisions to cancel student debt.^3, 4, 5 And as
long as Democrats maintain control of the House and Senate this November,
his plan will largely be shielded from congressional Republicans.
Millions of MoveOn members have already taken action demanding student
debt relief—you've signed petitions, submitted your student debt stories,
called your members of Congress, spread the word on social media, and so
much more. Now, as we enter the next phase of this fight, your action will
be critical.
If you're interested in supporting borrowers in navigating the
cancellation process, [ [link removed] ]sign up for the Student Debt Crisis Center's
Ambassador Program! This is a program run by our phenomenal partners who
will train you to help support others and continue this important fight.
Thanks for all you do.
–Arvin, Mana, Chloe, Sara, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "The 'sleeper-hit' beyond $10K: Student loan borrowers say new
income-driven repayment plan could be 'life-changing,'" CNBC, September 4,
2022
[link removed]
2. "Almost half of U.S. governors ask Joe Biden to cut student loan
forgiveness plan," NPR, September 13, 2022
[link removed]
3. "Strong Majorities Score Biden and Democrats' Agenda Positively,"
Navigator Research, September 6, 2022
[link removed]
4. "Progressive Messaging In Favor of Student Debt Cancellation is
Effective," Navigator Research, September 16, 2022
[link removed]
5. Tweet from Rise Free, September 13, 2022
[link removed]
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