Congressman Gonzalez Applauds President Biden for Cancelling Significant Amount of Student Loans, Calls for Further Action to Make College More Affordable and Accessible

Press Release

Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) released the following statement in response to President Biden's announcement that the U.S. Department of Education will be cancelling $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients and $10,000 in federal student loans for borrowers making less than $125,000/year, and extending the pause in payments:

"This is a step in the right direction to provide substantial relief for millions of borrowers across the country," stated Congressman Gonzalez. "Americans should not be punished with crushing debt for obtaining an advanced degree to better themselves and their families. Insurmountable debt stifles economic mobility and forces people to make difficult financial decisions.

"Of course, this cannot be the end of the conversation. For decades we have told students to go to college and receive a college education to be equipped to move up in their career and secure a better financial position. But without the appropriate financial resources, we are forcing students to take on crushing debt for the rest of their lives while looking for jobs that are either not there or do not pay a wage high enough to pay back that debt. We must meaningfully invest in the next generation of leaders and prepare them to take on the challenges of tomorrow by minimizing the burden of student debt.

"I look forward to continue working with the President and my Congressional colleagues to ensure the American Dream is accessible to everyone, not just those with the financial resources available to them."

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