Trump Could Soon Strip Student Loan Forgiveness From Millions of Borrowers

"The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program was created 20 years ago with bipartisan support, originally designed to forgive any remaining balance on the student loans of borrowers who have made 120 on-time monthly payments while being employed in the public sector. This program offered substantial relief for employees of nonprofit organizations, alongside all forms of government including city, local, state, tribal, and federal government."

"But access to the program may soon be stripped away from millions of Americans. In March, the Trump Administration began its attempt to dismantle the Department of Education when they fired nearly half its staff, which has led to significant delays in Income-Driven Repayment applications. The latest target in the administration's attempt to gut the department is the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program."

"On August 18, the department published its preliminary rule stating its proposed changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, a result of the most recent Negotiated Rulemaking-or Neg Reg-session. Neg Reg is a consensus-based process that the federal government undertakes to modify regulations governing a federal department or office. These new changes aim to deem organizations and governments as "ineligible employers" if they are not aligned with the Trump administration's agenda. Countless employers would be labeled ineligible PSLF employers with"

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program was created two decades ago with bipartisan support to forgive remaining federal student loan balances after 120 on-time payments while employed in public sector roles. The program currently covers nonprofit employees and all levels of government. Recent actions at the Department of Education, including mass staff firings in March, have delayed Income-Driven Repayment applications. On August 18 the department published a preliminary rule from negotiated rulemaking proposing changes to PSLF. The proposed changes would classify many organizations and governments as ineligible employers unless aligned with the president's agenda, potentially stripping relief from millions.

Read at The Nation