Rep. Jayapal Comments on Department of Ed Undoing Protections for Student Borrowers

SEATTLE, April 12 — Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., issued the following statement in response to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' decision to undo protections created by the Obama administration for student borrowers:

“Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' decision to scrap policies protecting students from abusive loan servicers is a slap in the face to students across the country. The Department of Education should be focused on making it easier for hard-working students to afford college and achieve their dreams. This move is yet another example of how the Trump administration sides with corporations and against the public interest.

“I call on the Secretary to support the College For All Act, which would stop the federal government from profiting off of student loans, allow existing borrowers to refinance their student loans at lower interest rates, and make public college tuition-free for working families.”

Background:

The Obama administration issued a pair of memorandums (1, 2) in 2016 to protect student borrowers from abusive loan servicers, strengthen accountability and oversight, and make it less difficult for students burdened with debt to pay off their loans. On April 11, the current Secretary of Education formally withdrew the memos.