Biden Education Nominee Vows to Continue Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
Nominee for Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, affirmed her commitment to maintaining the popular Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
Despite scrutiny from the Trump administration, McMahon stated, "We should honor those programs that have already been passed by Congress that do grant loan forgiveness for public service."
The PSLF relieves debt for government and nonprofit workers with a decade of timely payments. Republicans often criticize it as costly and unfair to private-sector employees.
During Trump's tenure, Secretary Betsy DeVos proposed eliminating PSLF and was later accused of delaying its implementation, leading to a 99% rejection rate for forgiveness applications.
Under Biden, the Department of Education prioritized expanding PSLF. Over a million borrowers have received debt relief since 2021.
In response to concerns about political pressure, McMahon asserted, "Yes, because that's the law."
Biden implemented changes to streamline PSLF and ensure former students qualify, even with past rule discrepancies.
However, student advocates remain wary of potential hindrances by the Trump administration.
Mike Pierce, from the Student Borrower Protection Center, expressed concerns that the "DOGE team" could disrupt the PSLF system. He also highlighted the appointment of former lobbyists for student debt servicers to high positions in the Department of Education.
"Right now, we have chaos and promises, which isn't enough for borrowers," said Pierce.