Press Release

AFT’s Weingarten Lauds Swift Biden-Harris Action After 8th Circuit Blocked SAVE Plan

For Release:

Contact:

Andrew Crook
o: 202-393-8637 | c: 607-280-6603
acrook@aft.org

WASHINGTON—AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement commending the Biden-Harris administration for taking swift action to place borrowers in forbearance after the extremist 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with far-right attorneys general to block debt relief for millions of American borrowers:

“The Biden-Harris administration has acted decisively to place 8 million borrowers who are enrolled in the SAVE [Saving on a Valuable Education] plan in forbearance to stave off this reckless attack from extremist politicians and judges. But we shouldn’t even be in this situation. These borrowers are on a roller coaster that’s being forced off the rails by far-right politicians who will do anything in their power to hurt them, rather than help them get the relief they deserve.

“We are grateful that the Biden-Harris administration will continue to push for affordable monthly payments as bad faith actors continue to throw up roadblock after roadblock. In the end, broad-based debt cancellation is the only solution—and we will continue to advocate for it through every avenue available.”

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The AFT represents 1.8 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.