Biden extends freeze on all student loan payments until Jan. 31, 2022

 

Biden extends freeze on all student loan payments until Jan. 31, 2022 - but progressives say it's not enough and demand the president cancel a debt.

On Friday, the Ministry of Education announced a final delay in obtaining a student loan.

Student borrowers will have until the end of January 2022 to resume payments.

Education Minister Miguel Cardona said he would allow an orderly restart

But progressives immediately demanded more work

Representatives Ilhan Omar and Ayana Presley urged Biden to cancel the debt

Biden's left-wing party gets bolder after winning expulsion suspension

Biden administration announced Friday that it would give people who have federal student loans until the end of January before they have to resume payments, in what it said would be the final extension.

The pause - which has suspended payments, interest, and collections since March 2020 - was expired by the end of September 2021

The announcement comes after pressure from top Congressional Democrats who have urged the administration to pursue pandemic relief next year.

But progressives, including Representative Ilhan Omar, immediately said the matter did not go far enough and demanded that President Biden use his powers to write off student debt.

"He must also sign the executive order and cancel student debt," she said.

Biden administration is grappling with resume student loan payments without forcing millions of borrowers to struggle. On Friday, it declared one final delay.

President Biden said the downtime was a "critical lifeline," meaning people had to choose between paying for necessities and servicing their debt. Friday's job numbers showed that the economy was in better shape than it was last year.

Officials said the delay and precise start date would give borrowers time to put their finances in order.

"Repayment was a lifeline that allowed millions of Americans to focus on their families, health, and finances rather than student loans during a national emergency," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said.

The ministry said it would publish more information on how to resume the operation in the coming days.