Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) and Rep. Jared Golden (ME-02) released the following statement after voting in favor of H.J. Res. 88, providing congressional disapproval of changes made by President Biden to the SAVE Income Driven Repayment program:

“Far too many working people and their families are burdened with excessive student debt. Parts of the changes made to President Biden’s SAVE program would help these truly needy borrowers, working parents with low incomes, and individuals pursuing public service. 

But rather than sticking only to these changes, President Biden gave in to an overzealous activist class that is single-mindedly focused on finding as many ways as possible to funnel more federal tax dollars into the higher education system, including into private universities. This approach encourages inflation in tuition prices and adds to the deficit, and the cost of this new debt forgiveness program will be borne by all Americans, most of whom will not and did not choose to attend a four-year college. These priorities are wrong, unfair, and classist. 

Instead of testing the boundaries of existing law and spending money not approved by Congress, President Biden should listen to a broader swath of the American people, propose a comprehensive overhaul of our higher education financing system, and ask the country to support his plan at the ballot box next year.”