TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, President Joe Biden announced his student loan forgiveness plan. Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva issued the following statement praising the President’s action:

“President Biden’s historic announcement today is a testament to his commitment to the working class, people of color, and struggling families who have been straddled with crippling debt by an unfair and inequitable higher education system that necessitates expensive loans as a primary funding source. Today’s action will ease financial strain for millions of borrowers with federal loans and Pell Grants, especially those from families with lower incomes that had no choice but to take on massive debt to have a shot at getting a higher education. Extending the loan freeze will allow those continuing to struggle with a difficult post-pandemic economy more time to gain more solid financial footing.”

“I urge President Biden to consider broader student loan forgiveness. Many working-class and people of color took out tens of thousands in loans for their opportunity to attain the American dream. We should not penalize them, hold them back and further widen the wealth gap because of their success. I’ll continue to work with the Biden administration and my colleagues to ensure we address the disparity faced by borrowers from underrepresented groups, close the racial wealth gap, and make college more accessible and affordable from the get-go. It’s not enough to partially forgive student debt only for future students to be met with outrageous tuition and high interest rates on student loans. I’ll fight for students to get the education they want and deserve, increase access to debt-free higher education and further forgiveness of student loans.”

To learn more about President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan and the qualifications for federal loan forgiveness, visit: https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement/