Ernst: Biden Student Loan Bailout Hurts Military Recruitment

WASHINGTON - In the face of a historic military recruitment shortage, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a combat veteran, today questioned Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro if the Biden administration's student loan "cancellation," which extends education benefits - like the G.I. Bill provides - to civilians who have not served, has impacted recruitment efforts and undermined the fundamental principles of military service.

Watch her full line of questioning here.

"Today, folks, young people are not being inspired to serve," Ernst said. "Frankly, the perks of service are tarnished when this administration attempts to 'cancel' everyone's student loans. Others have witnessed and quite possibly been influenced by the anti-American rhetoric they see and hear from the Left both on campus and online. Further, students who were kept out of the classrooms from COVID lockdowns are still reeling from the consequences."

"I've had so many of my former soldiers come to me and say, 'I served multiple deployments overseas for G.I. Bill benefits, for those education benefits, and now others are getting them for not serving,'" Ernst continued. "I think it's absolutely unfair what's going on across the United States today. I think we are wiping away the benefits that we have promised to those that have stepped up and worn the flag of these great United States. We have to do better and reward those who serve."

"Part of our recruitment challenge is that we don't reward those who serve enough or we give their benefits to others that don't deserve them," Ernst concluded.

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