President Biden has yet to deliver what experts say could be a strong political catalyst among Democrats and young voters: widespread student debt relief.
Biden said he would deliver a final decision on whether to cancel at least some of the $1.7 trillion currently owed to the federal government in student loan debt by the end of August but has yet to indicate a plan. In 12 days, the pause on federal student loan debt is set to lift and millions of borrowers will be sent back into repayment after an almost two-and-a-half-year break.
The lack of action from Biden has many supporters of debt relief frustrated. With the midterm elections right around the corner in November, debt relief could give Biden and the Democratic Party an advantage among key voting blocs, especially young and minority voters.
Many are keeping a close eye on projected Republican gains in the House and Senate that could throw a wrench into many of Biden’s key agenda items. The current Democratic majority in the House and Senate has been critical to passing Democratic wins such as the Inflation Reduction Act, which will provide $430 billion to address climate change.
Democrats largely favor the Biden administration canceling student loan debt via executive order without any action from Congress. Some experts say that if Biden cancels student debt before the midterms, it could benefit Democrats while helping to address waning faith in the president, which has dropped the most among young, Black…
