Skip to main content

To: United States Congress and Senate

CONGRESS: Cancel Student Debt to Stimulate the Economy

We are calling on Congress to immediately relieve the burden of student debt for millions of Americans during this uncertain and frightening time.

Why is this important?

The Coronavirus pandemic is a health crisis like we have never seen before, and it is colliding with the economic crisis of this generation - student loan debt. Lost wages and medical costs will impact families across the country for weeks, months, and years to come. Adding the persistent burden of student debt is a recipe for an economic disaster for millions of everyday people.

Labor shocks like those the pandemic are likely to cause will undoubtedly increase federal student loan defaults. Borrowers in default on federal student loans face having their tax refunds seized and wages garnished at a time when they can least afford it. We also call on lawmakers to immediately stop these actions that hit distressed borrowers the most.

Canceling student debt in response to the Coronavirus crisis will help the 45 million people with student loans and stimulate the economy when it is needed most. It will allow borrowers to purchase the necessities their families depend on: food on their table, a roof over their head, and critical healthcare.

In the long term, a student debt cancellation stimulus would help prevent or reduce the impacts of an upcoming recession. Student debt cancellation can boost GDP by up to $108 billion a year and would add up to 1.5 million jobs per year.

Partner

Links

Updates

2020-06-10 08:23:02 -0400

1,000,000 signatures reached

2020-06-07 17:16:37 -0400

900,000 signatures reached

2020-05-08 22:28:35 -0400

800,000 signatures reached

2020-04-28 12:37:42 -0400

700,000 signatures reached

2020-04-18 20:17:15 -0400

600,000 signatures reached

2020-04-03 16:09:59 -0400

500,000 signatures reached

2020-03-23 07:47:34 -0400

400,000 signatures reached

2020-03-21 11:07:10 -0400

Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and others introduced their plan to cancel student debt in the Coronavirus economic stimulus package.

https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/schumer-murray-brown-and-warren-unveil-bold-new-plan-to-cancel-student-loan-payments-for-duration-of-coronavirus-emergency-and-provide-minimum-10k-payoff-for-all-federal-student-loan-borrowers

2020-03-21 10:52:24 -0400

FRIDAY 3/20: Trump announces plan to pause student loan payments for 60 days during Coronavirus crisis. Senate Democrats are calling for a plan for the government to directly make payments for American with student loans.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.politico.com/amp/news/2020/03/20/trump-coronavirus-student-loan-payments-139056

2020-03-21 10:25:14 -0400

300,000 signatures reached

2020-03-20 09:03:52 -0400

200,000 signatures reached

2020-03-19 20:34:13 -0400

150,000 signatures reached

2020-03-19 14:38:42 -0400

100,000 signatures reached

2020-03-19 11:27:08 -0400

BREAKING: Senator Schumer, Warren, and others just introduced a bill to cancel student loan payments during the duration of the Coronavirus crisis.

2020-03-19 11:26:06 -0400

76,000 signatures reached!