Secretary of Education Joins Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Chuck Schumer for a Roundtable Discussion With Student Loan Borrowers and Advocates

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Secretary of Education Joins Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Chuck Schumer for a Roundtable Discussion With Student Loan Borrowers and Advocates

April 2, 2021

Today, Secretary Cardona joined a roundtable discussion alongside Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Elizabeth Warren to listen as student loan borrowers and advocates shared their stories about the impact student loan debt has had on their lives. The borrowers and advocates included a veteran father of five who was misled by a for-profit college, a recent college graduate, and a mother whose student loan debt led her to experience homelessness. The Secretary listened, asked questions of the advocates and promised to take the information he learned and the stories he heard back to the Department of Education to inform many of the future decisions regarding student loan debt.

"What I am hearing from you all is not only that there is this cloud hanging over your heads, but also that there is this great emotional impact which has severely interrupted your lives. This burden has created a generational impact of distress," said Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. "Behind every case, there's a family, there's a person, there's a story. All of you sharing your stories helps to create a picture of what this is. There's work to be done. I'm committed to this, and your stories have strengthened my resolve to do as much as I can to support you and students like you."