John and Shari: Political pressure to forgive student loan debt is well-timed ahead of mid-term elections

With the federal student debt total near $1.6 trillion, President Joe Biden and Congress’ plan for the economic problem remains an outstanding question as Democrats look towards the midterm elections.

Following President Biden’s recent announcement that federal student loan repayments would be frozen through August, Congressional Democrats have signaled their interest in restructuring student loan debt: U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal has publicly called for outright debt cancellation, and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray signaled her interest in extending the moratorium on student debt repayments through 2023 while Congress reworks the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Student debt cancellation is racial justice.

Student debt cancellation is gender justice.

Student debt cancellation is economic justice.

— Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) April 16, 2022

“They realize you need young people to go to the polls, how can we get young people to vote for us? I know, let’s get the young people that took out college loans,” John Curley said on KIRO Newsradio.

The president had previously said on the campaign trail that undergraduate student loan debt repayments should constitute 5% of their discretionary income over $25,000 towards their loans.

Listen to John Curley and Shari Elliker’s breakdown of the student loan debt situation here.

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