DeLauro Applauds Overhaul of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

NEW HAVEN – House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) issued this statement applauding the Department of Education's significant changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF):

"People are struggling with their bills and taxes and need a government that looks out for the middle class and working families. By overhauling the broken PSLF program, the Biden Administration is making education a priority, supporting our frontline workers and first responders, and making good on our promise to help cover the cost of their higher education.

"Today, the Department of Education announced significant changes to the PSLF program that will help alleviate the burden of student loans for as many as 550,000 Americans who are eligible. The PSLF program recognizes the importance of public service to our nation's success and is intended to provide debt relief to committed public servants, including teachers, military service members, nurses, government employees, and others serving the public. In practice, PSLF has been notoriously difficult to navigate and has not lived up to its initial promises. Today's announced changes will simplify and improve the process, allowing long-term public servants to make the most of this important program.

"While the Trump Administration attempted to eliminate PSLF and cut student debt relief from the budget, I led the House in passing education spending bills with funding to expand opportunities for workers to access PSLF. We must ensure that there are adequate resources for those who choose to pursue a degree, particularly for those who choose to use their degrees in the service of others."

To benefit from the temporary changes the department is making, borrowers who have not yet applied for PSLF must do so before October 31, 2022. For more information about the PSLF waiver, visit StudentAid.gov/PSLFWaiver.