When Will We Restart Federal Student Loan Payments? - Commentary

Rory O’Sullivan, independent higher education policy consultant and former lead higher education policy staffer for the Gates Foundation and deputy director at Young Invincibles, writes:  On Feb. 28, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over the Biden administration’s executive order canceling $10,000 to $20,000 of student debt for most borrowers. The court’s conservative majority sounded skeptical. Anticipating a decision to block the order, some debt cancelation advocates have suggested a Plan B: Implement an indefinite pause on student loan repayments. Doing so would be a mistake — turning a temporary, emergency measure by the Trump administration into a permanent feature of Biden administration policy. Throwing a wrench in the student loan system is likely just to break it. Students and borrowers would be better served by a determined political and policy effort at repair.