05/21/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/22/2024 12:39
May 21, 2024
Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general calling on the U.S. Department of Education to swiftly implement its recently proposed regulations that would provide needed relief for some of the nation's most burdened student loan borrowers.
In their comment letter to the department, Raoul and the coalition of attorneys general urge the implementation of regulations that would waive or reduce student loan repayments for certain groups of federal student loan borrowers.
"I urge the Department of Education to implement the proposed regulations as expediently as possible to ensure affected borrowers see much needed student loan relief," Raoul said. "I will continue to advocate on behalf of borrowers and hold predatory lenders accountable."
Raoul and the coalition underscore the critical need for meaningful debt relief to address the nationwide student debt crisis, which disproportionately burdens low-income borrowers and borrowers of color. Having worked on the frontlines advocating on behalf of student borrowers, Raoul and the coalition of attorneys general have observed firsthand how historical and ongoing systemic failures of the federal student loan system have exacerbated and perpetuated the crisis. Drawing on these experiences, Raoul and the coalition emphasize the need for borrower relief and commend the department for proposing regulations designed to help alleviate burdens for struggling borrowers.
Specifically, the department's proposed regulations are designed to provide critical debt relief to:
Joining Raoul in submitting the comment letter are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.