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!
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. (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.
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. Remember to take just a few minutes and apply to have your student loan cancelled. Already applied for student loan cancellation? 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
https://act.moveon.org/go/169129?t=19&akid=336574%2E40999114%2EfV2RR5
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, 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, 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
https://act.moveon.org/go/168477?t=23&akid=336574%2E40999114%2EfV2RR5
2. "Almost half of U.S. governors ask Joe Biden to cut student loan forgiveness plan," NPR, September 13, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/168478?t=25&akid=336574%2E40999114%2EfV2RR5
3. "Strong Majorities Score Biden and Democrats' Agenda Positively," Navigator Research, September 6, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/168479?t=27&akid=336574%2E40999114%2EfV2RR5
4. "Progressive Messaging In Favor of Student Debt Cancellation is Effective," Navigator Research, September 16, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/168480?t=29&akid=336574%2E40999114%2EfV2RR5
5. Tweet from Rise Free, September 13, 2022
https://act.moveon.org/go/168481?t=31&akid=336574%2E40999114%2EfV2RR5
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