Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Returning to Student Loan Repayment
Courtney, DeSaulnier, Sarbanes Introduce Legislation to Institute Major Reforms to Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
12.18.24 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), a senior member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Subcommittee, and Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD), introduced new legislation to institute major reforms to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. In 2007, Rep. Sarbanes authored, and President George W. Bush enacted, the law creating PSLF to attract more Americans to careers li… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Applauds Signing of FAFSA Deadline Act into Law
12.11.24 WASHINGTON - Today, President Biden signed the FAFSA Deadline Act, H.R. 8932, into law, a critical step forward in improving access to federal student aid for millions of students and families. The bill, supported by Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby Scott” (D-VA), mandates that the U.S. Department of Education release the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form by October 1st each year, beginning in 2025, ensuring students can access the financial support they need in a timely mann… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Champions FAFSA Accessibility Measure
11.15.24 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby Scott” delivered the following floor remarks in support of H.R. 8932, the FAFSA Deadline Act. This legislation would require the Department of Education to release the FAFSA by October 1 instead of the current January 1st deadline, so students and families across the country can access their federal student aid in a timely manner. Watch Ranking Member Scott’s floor remarks on YouTube. “I rise in support of H.R. 8932, the FAFSA Deadline Act… Continue Reading
GAO Report Spotlights How ED Effectively Communicated with Student Borrowers About Successfully Resuming Loan Payments
10.10.24 WASHINGTON - Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) unveiled a new report highlighting how the Department of Education effectively communicated with borrowers about resuming student loan payments following the temporary pause during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they were able to prevent record numbers of delinquency. As of January 2024, around 17.8 million borrowers were current on their payments, reflecting effective communication during this transition. The report was requested by… Continue Reading
ICYMI: Ranking Member Scott Questions Government Watchdog about FAFSA Missteps
09.24.24 WASHINGTON - Today at a Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee hearing, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) questioned Government Accountability Office investigators about the Department of Education’s implementation of the Simplify FAFSA Act. Watch Ranking Member Scott’s questioning on YouTube. Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott: “I think our witnesses have outlined a total mess and we didn't need to hear that. I think all of us have heard that from our coll… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Applauds the Biden Administration’s Proposal to Expand Student Debt Relief for Over 30 Million Americans
05.17.24 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) applauded the Biden-Harris Administration’s proposed regulations to provide student debt relief for tens of millions of borrowers across the country. The proposal builds on the Administration’s ongoing efforts to provide relief to Americans burdened by student loan debt. If implemented, this rule would provide debt relief for over 30 million Americans when combined with actions the Biden-Harris Administration has already taken to… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement at Hearing with ED Secretary Cardona
05.07.24 WASHINGTON -Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee hearing, “Examining the Education Department's Policies, Priorities, and FY 2023 Financial Audit Failure” with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “Thank you, Dr. Foxx. “And good morning, Mr. Secretary, and thank you for being with us today. “Seventy years ago, this month, Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote?in the majority opinion, the unanimous opinion, of Br… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on President Biden’s Plan to Deliver Debt Relief to Over 30 Million Student Borrowers
04.08.24 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Biden-Harris Administration unveiled initial details of a new set of plans that would provide student debt relief for tens of millions of borrowers across the country. The plans, if implemented, would provide debt relief to over 30 million Americans when combined with actions the Biden-Harris Administration has already taken to cancel student debt over the past three years. “Today’s announceme… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on March Jobs Report
04.05.24 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 303,000 jobs in March, and the unemployment rate ticked down from 3.9 to 3.8 percent. Since President Biden took office, the economy has added 15.2 million jobs. And initial unemployment insurance claims have remained below former President Trump’s pre-pandemic average for 20 consecutive weeks. “Four years ago, millions of retirees we… Continue Reading
While You Were Sleeping, Extreme Republicans Voted to Raise College Costs, Return to DeVos Era Deregulation and Chaos
01.31.24 WASHINGTON - Tonight, Education and the Workforce Committee Republicans advanced legislation—H.R. 6951, the so-called College Cost Reduction Act—that would wreak havoc on our higher education system and inflict pain on students struggling to afford a college degree. H.R. 6951 raises the cost of going to college for students and families by restricting access to federal student aid and affordable loan repayment plans, exposes students and taxpayers to predatory and low-quality institutions by re… Continue Reading
What People Are *Actually* Saying About the So-Called “College Cost Reduction Act”
01.31.24 WASHINGTON - Today, Committee Republicans will advance legislation—H.R. 6951, the College Cost Reduction Act—that would wreak havoc on our higher education system and inflict pain on students struggling to afford a college degree. H.R. 6951 raises the cost of going to college for students and families by restricting access to federal student aid and affordable loan repayment plans, exposes students and taxpayers to predatory and low-quality institutions by repealing existing consumer protection… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Delivers Opening Statement at Markup of GOP’s Extreme Bill to Raise Costs, Reduce Access to College
01.31.24 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee markup of H.R. 6951, the College Cost Reduction Act. “Madam Chair, you’ve heard me quote President Lyndon B. Johnson when he signed the Higher Education Act—when he said that it meant—and I quote: ‘a high school senior anywhere in this great land of ours can apply to any college or any university in any of the 50 states and not be turned away because [their] family i… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Votes “NO” on Republicans’ Plan to Raise Student Loan Payments for 5.5 Million Borrowers
12.07.23 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby Scott” delivered the following floor remarks in opposition to House Republicans’ proposal to repeal the Saving on a Valuable Education student loan repayment plan (H.J.Res. 88). View Ranking Member Scott’s floor remarks on YouTube. “Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.J.Res. 88, the Congressional Review Act on the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan. “Last August, the Department of Education launched the SAVE Plan, a new, generou… Continue Reading
As MAGA House Republicans Push for Government Shutdown, Committee GOP Advances Partisan Messaging Bills
09.14.23 WASHINGTON - Today, Committee Republicans advanced a set of bills—including H.J. Res 88, H.R. 5339, H.R. 5337, and H.R. 5340—that would eliminate the most affordable student loan repayment plan ever offered to borrowers and allow extreme MAGA Republicans, instead of financial experts, to make important investment decisions on behalf of retirement savers. “By this point in the last Congress, Congressional Democrats had already passed the American Rescue Plan Act—which delivered the largest, one-… Continue Reading
As Student Loan Payments Resume, Ranking Member Scott Highlights Education Department Resources, Reforms to Support Borrowers
09.06.23 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Scott applauded the Department of Education (ED) for its work to support student loan borrowers as student loan payments and interest accrual resume for the first time in just over three years. “With the return to student loan repayment underway, student loan borrowers and their families may be worried about their economic security. Thankfully, the Biden-Harris administration is here to help with resources and reforms that will facilitate a smoother transitio… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on SCOTUS Striking Down Biden’s Student Loan Program
06.30.23 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Supreme Court ruled in Department of Education v. Brown and Biden v. Nebraska to strike down President Biden’s student loan program. Under the program, 90 percent of the benefits would have gone to borrowers making less than $75,000 a year. “A college education should not depend on how much money a student’s parents make. In fact, when President Johnson signed the Higher Education Act … Continue Reading
Extreme MAGA Republicans Vote to Deny Debt Relief for More Than 20.6 Million of Their Own Constituents
05.24.23 WASHINGTON - Today, House Republicans advanced H.J. Res. 45, which would deny student debt relief for43 million student loan borrowers debt relief, including more than 20.6 million of their own constituents. The resolution could also create chaos for student loan borrowers by potentially forcing them to repay the last four months’ worth of student loan payments. This would trigger a wave of delinquencies and defaults for our most vulnerable borrowers. View Ranking Member Scott’s floor remarks… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Opening Statement at Markup of Resolution to Eliminate President Biden’s Student Debt Relief Plan
05.10.23 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee markup of H.J.Res. 45, a Congressional Review Act Resolution of Disapproval that would eliminate President Biden’s student debt relief plan. “Thank you, Dr. Foxx, and good morning. “There are many challenges we have in higher education that demand our attention. For example, students and families face a student debt crisis thanks to the rising cost to attend college a… Continue Reading
Higher Ed Leaders Reintroduce LOAN Act to Lower Cost of College
03.09.23 WASHINGTON - Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Higher Education and Workforce Development (HEWD) Subcommittee Ranking Member Frederica Wilson (FL-24), and the other Democratic Members of the HEWD Subcommittee unveiled plans to reintroduce the Lowering Obstacles to Achievement Now (LOAN) Act. The LOAN Act would lower the cost of college for current and future student borrowers and their families. The LOAN Act would build on President Bid… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott: President Biden’s Student Debt Relief Plan Would “Deliver Life-Changing Support for the Borrowers Who Need It Most”
02.28.23 WASHINGTON - Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement ahead of the Supreme Court’s session to hear oral arguments on President Biden’s student debt relief plan. “A college education should not depend on how much money a student’s parents make. Yet, the rising cost of tuition, decades of disinvestment in higher education, and the declining relative value of the Pell Grant have left many student loan borrowers with burdensome debt. “That’s why I sup… Continue Reading