House Democrats Slam Proposals to Exacerbate the Student Loan Crisis

House Democrats Slam Proposals to Exacerbate the Student Loan Crisis

WASHINGTON - Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), led over 85 House Democrats' opposition to the Department of Education's proposed rule on federal student loans. The proposed rule, titled "Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE)," implements changes that Republicans' "Big Ugly Law" made to the federal student loan program in the Higher Education Act of 1965, including new graduate loan limits and the elimination of affordable repayment options.

"We are concerned that this new structure of federal graduate lending will further restrict higher education access, particularly for low- and middle-income borrowers," wrote the Members. "It is crucial that the Department prioritize providing all students with access to federal student aid to finance their education, regardless of economic status, and protect students from unaffordable debt."

"[Republicans' 'Big, Ugly Law'] destabilizes our higher education system and harms students struggling to afford college by restricting access to federal student aid and eliminating affordable loan repayment plans," continued the Members. "We urge the Department to put students and borrowers first and consider how each decision will impact a student's ability to afford their education."

As of September 2025, over 3.6 million federal student loan borrowers were in late-stage loan delinquency on their federal student loans, and over 5 million have defaulted on their loans. According to a recent survey, 42 percent of borrowers reported having to choose between covering their basic needs and making a loan payment.

The changes to student loan repayment initiated in ED's proposed rulemaking threaten to worsen the affordability crisis that working families are already facing.

The letter was signed by Representatives Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Donald S. Beyer (VA-08), Sanford D. Bishop (GA-02), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Janelle S. Bynum (OR-05), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Judy Chu (CA-28), Steve Cohen (TN-09), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Sharice Davids (KS-03), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Lois Frankel (FL-22), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (IL-04), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Daniel S. Goldman (NY-10), Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Val T. Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Henry C. "Hank" Johnson (GA-04), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Greg Landsman (OH-01), George Latimer (NY-16), Summer L. Lee (PA-12), John W. Mannion (NY-22), Lucy McBath (GA-06), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Jennifer L. McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Christian D. Menefee (TX-18), Grace Meng (NY-06), Dave Min (CA-47), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Richard E. Neal (MA-01), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Janice D. Schakowsky (IL-09), Hillary J. Scholten (MI-03), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Darren Soto (FL-09), Melanie A. Stansbury (NM-01), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Mark Takano (CA-39), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02), Norma J. Torres (CA-35), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Marc A. Veasey (TX-33), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).

To read the full letter, click here.

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