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Biden on impeachment, talks with Xi from China
President Joe Biden says the Senate “has a very important job to do” with regard to former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. (February 11)
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The complaint: Joe Biden canceled all student loan debts
In the election campaign, now President Joe Biden promised to act on debt relief from the federal student loan and eliminate $ 10,000 for all borrowers. A student loan taker said on Facebook that the president has already kept that promise.
“My student loans are gone,” says a February 2 Facebook post with hundreds of shares. “I love you Biden!” Many users expressed skepticism and commented: “Mine is still showing.”
USA TODAY contacted the Facebook user for comment.
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Biden student loan forgiveness plan
On his first day in office, Biden signed an executive order extending a pause in paying federal loans to students until at least September. During the beginning of the pandemic, former President Donald Trump suspended student loan payments, froze interest rates and told credit officers to stop collection efforts as part of the COVID-19 relief effort. This was set to expire on January 31.
Biden avoided any pledge to cancel student debt through executive action and said he supports Congressional forgiveness of up to $ 10,000 in student loan debt. Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., and Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Are pushing for Biden to eliminate $ 50,000 per borrower, a plan they unveiled in September 2020.
In a December interview with The Washington Post, Biden said it was “quite questionable” whether he would have the power as president to cancel large student loan debts. “I’m not sure about that. I am unlikely to do that, “he said.
It is not yet decided whether the debt would be canceled through Biden’s executive action or through legislation passed by Congress.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted on February 4, that the Biden government is “examining whether there is any action it can take through executive action and would like to receive the opportunity to sign a bill sent to it by Congress”.
Biden wants to forgive loans for students who attend two and four-year public colleges and extend loan forgiveness to students who attend historically black private colleges and universities or institutions that serve minorities, according to his campaign website. His plan also includes forgiving all graduate tuition related to federal student debt for borrowers who earn up to $ 125,000 a year.
“Biden will create a new, simple program that offers $ 10,000 in debt relief to undergraduate or graduate students for each year of national or community service, for up to five years,” says his campaign website. Those working in schools, government and other non-profit institutions will be automatically enrolled in the program.
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Student loan debt has not been canceled
Although federal student loan payments have been temporarily suspended, there has been no action by Congress or Biden to cancel student loan debt.
Biden’s draft for a $ 1.9 trillion stimulus package excluded student loan debt cancellation. The aid package includes $ 1,400 stimulus checks, investing $ 20 billion in a national vaccination program and $ 400 a week in unemployment insurance benefits.
In addition, none of Biden’s executive orders signed since January 20 makes reference to the cancellation of student debts.
There was also no legislation passed by Congress canceling student debts, and details of the stimulus plan continue to be negotiated. At a press conference on February 4, Psaki said the White House is still considering whether it can provide debt relief through an executive order and, at the same time, ask Congress to pass the legislation.
“The president supported and continues to support the cancellation of $ 10,000 of federal student loan debt per person as a result of the COVID crisis,” said Psaki. “If it is approved and sent to his desk, he will be eager to sign it.”
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Our rating: False
The claim that Joe Biden canceled student loan debt is FALSE, based on our research. The president extended a pause on federal student loan payments, but did not sign an executive order canceling student debts. Congress also passed no legislation to cancel student debt.
Our sources of fact checking:
- USA TODAY, Jan. 29, “Trump and Biden froze federal student loans. Should borrowers pay or pause before defrosting?”
- JoeBiden.com, “The Biden Plan for education beyond high school”
- Jen Psaki, February 4, Tweet
- Elizabeth Warren, September 17, “Schumer, Warren: The next president can and should cancel up to $ 50,000 in student loan debt immediately; Democrats draft plan for immediate action in 2021”
- USA TODAY, March 20, “Trump: Student loan borrowers can suspend payments for 60 days without interest”
- The Washington Post, December 23, “Opinion: Trump is destroying the government by leaving. Biden is confident he can fix it.”
- CNBC, January 14, “Biden’s request for $ 10,000 in student loan forgiveness not included in the stimulus plan”
- USA TODAY, Jan. 14, “Biden presents $ 1.9 trillion COVID-19 aid package that includes $ 1,400 stimulus checks”
- Congress.gov
- Federal Register, Joe Biden Executive Orders 2021
- White House, February 4, press conference by press secretary Jen Psaki and national security adviser Jake Sullivan, February 4, 2021
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Our fact-checking work is partially funded by a Facebook grant.