WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Advocates, organizations and student borrowers were in front of the White House today as they thanked the President for his announcement to help millions of Americans deal with student loans.
“We have been fighting this issue for many many years and yesterday was a historic day,” Becky Pringle, NEA President said.
Pringle was outside the White House and celebrated President Biden’s decision to forgive some student debt, but says debt-relief advocates like her aren’t done.
“We know that there’s still debt that students need to be forgiven, so we’ll keep fighting for that,” Pringle said.
The Education Department said under Biden’s plan, 20 million people will see their remaining debt wiped away but the burden remains for millions more.
“There are some people who are paying as much as eight or nine hundred dollars a month on their student loan debt, and depending on where you live, that’s a second rent,” Kai Nilsen, GWU Student and We the 45M Intern said.
Center for Responsible Lending Policy and Outreach Manager Jaylon Herbin had $60,000 in loans.
“Yesterday’s announcement alleviated about $10,000 worth but there’s still a lot that I still have to pay off,” Herbin said.
Herbin supports more loan forgiveness and he’s not alone. A recent NewsNation poll found that 64% of Americans are at least somewhat supportive of forgiving up to $100,000 of student debt.
“Fifty-thousand dollars would’ve eliminated about 76% of the borrowers’ student debt,” Herbin said.
But the White House said the amount they chose is fiscally responsible.
“It’s not going to please everybody… what he is trying to do is make sure that, again, we’re giving families a little breathing room,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre said.
