WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (PA-04) joined more than 80 bicameral colleagues in a letter urging President Biden to cancel $50,000 in federal student loan debt per borrower. The letter was led by Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and U.S Representatives Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Katie Porter (D-CA), and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA).
In December, the Biden Administration extended the moratorium on federal student loan repayments to May 1, 2022. Now, lawmakers are asking President Biden to immediately cancel $50,000 per borrower before payments resume.
“Canceling $50,000 of student debt would give 36 million Americans permanent relief and aid the millions more who will eventually resume payments their best chance at thriving in our recovering economy,” the lawmakers wrote. “In light of high COVID-19 case counts and corresponding economic disruptions, restarting student loan payments without this broad cancellation would be disastrous for millions of borrowers and their families.”
“Higher education should mean life-changing opportunities—not a lifetime of debt,” Rep Dean said. “With each generation, that burden grows heavier. It’s crucial that President Biden cancels $50,000 in federal student loan debt per borrower.”
The letter was signed in the House by Representatives Alma S. Adams, PhD, Nanette Diaz Barragán, Karen Bass, Earl Blumenauer, Jamaal Bowman ,Ed.D., Brendan F. Boyle, Tony Cárdenas, Andre Carson, Judy Chu, David N. Cicilline, Yvette Clarke, J. Luis Correa, Danny K. Davis, Madeleine Dean, Mark DeSaulnier, Veronica Escobar, Adriano Espaillat, Dwight Evans, Ruben Gallego, Jesus G. “Chuy” García, Jimmy Gomez, Raúl M. Grijalva, Jahana Hayes, Sheila Jackson Lee, Sara Jacobs, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Mondaire Jones, Kaiali‘i Kahele, Ro Khanna, Ann Kirkpatrick, John B. Larson, Al Lawson, Barbara Lee, Andy Levin, Ted W. Lieu, Alan Lowenthal, Carolyn B. Maloney, James P. McGovern, Grace Meng, Jerrold Nadler, Grace F. Napolitano, Marie Newman, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Frank Pallone, Jimmy Panetta, Donald M. Payne, Jr., Lucille Roybal-Allard, Linda T. Sánchez, Jan Schakowsky, Adam Schiff, Terri A. Sewell, Albio Sires, Darren Soto, Mark Takano, Rashida Tlaib, Benny G. Thompson, Ritchie Torres, Juan Vargas, Nydia M. Velázquez, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Peter Welch, Nikema Williams, and Frederica S. Wilson.
The letter was signed in the Senate by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai'i), Cory A. Booker (D-N.J.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), Raphael G. Warnock (D-Ga.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.).
A copy of the letter is attached below.
Rep. Madeleine Dean is a mother, grandmother, attorney, professor, former four-term member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and U.S. Representative for the Fourth District of Pennsylvania.
