After Much Student Loan Reform, There’s Still Work to Do

Over the past year or so, we’ve seen a lot of positive movement on student loans. President Biden campaigned on student loan reform, and after years of growing national student debt, it seems like we’re finally seeing progress. While some are still eager to see sweeping student debt cancellation, let’s not ignore some of the major reforms that we’ve already seen:

• Enhanced scrutiny of student loan servicers—including increased government oversight of things like forbearance and payment counting—which has already led to some real-life consequences for bad actors, 
• The Limited Waiver Opportunity for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which makes more government and non-profit employees eligible for PSLF than ever before!
• The Department of Education assures us that there’s even more to come, which could include things like new income-driven repayment plans, or even a whole new loan forgiveness program.

All of this has come out of testimony from industry experts from Navigate and borrowers like YOU! Sometimes, we can lose sight that we—the people!—have a voice in our government, and I’m not just talking about your elected representatives: I mean YOU! If you need convincing, look to a hero of mine who we celebrate on Sunday… 

Government Is for Regular People, Too

For the majority of the 20th century—and this country’s entire history—government was the domain of straight white men. When Harvey Milk moved to San Francisco in 1972, he couldn’t have known what an inspiration he would become. Despite being a political nobody, he ran for city supervisor to fight what he thought were unjust laws, and failed to win until his third attempt. He made national news as the first openly gay man elected to public office in the U.S., but knew that this put a target on his back.

He prophetically said, “If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door.” His assassination galvanized the LGBT+ community, and since his election in 1978, voters have elected LGBT+ senators, governors, representatives, and countless others. Harvey Milk changed America.

It doesn’t take a name like Clinton, or Cheney, or Bush, or Kennedy to make your voice heard. Harvey Milk is proof enough, and we’ve seen so many people step up to join the student loan conversation. You are changing America!