The Student Loan System is Broken.
Tell Congress to Fix It!
The student loan system is in chaos. Many borrowers are facing immense uncertainty right now and it is clear that the Trump Administration is set on making it harder for borrowers to get help. We refuse to accept that.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)—the nation’s top watchdog charged with protecting Americans against predatory lenders and corporate fraudsters, including student loan companies—has been shuttered by President Trump, Elon Musk, and Acting CFPB Director Russell Vought. Since opening its doors, the Bureau has helped process complaints directly from consumers across every state and territory and as a result has helped obtain over $21 billion in relief for Americans. Evidence uncovered in CFPB investigations also drove the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to cancel billions more in student debt for working people across the country.
Making matters worse, news reports have uncovered that the ED Office of Federal Student Aid is removing the ‘Submit a Complaint’ button on Studentaid.gov, cutting off a key lifeline for borrowers in need of assistance with their student loans. And with Trump’s move to reduce the Department’s workforce by 50 percent, it will be harder for ED to carry out the core functions that borrowers depend on.
| Open a student loan case with Congress |
Members of Congress have teams of caseworkers who help constituents experiencing issues with a federal agency. Student loan servicers are paid hundreds of millions of dollars by ED to help borrowers manage their student loans. If you are having an issue with your federal student loans or your student loan servicer, you can contact your senator or representative for assistance. Problems with your federal student loan debt might include (but are not limited to):
- Challenges reaching your student loan servicer or excessively long wait times
- Lost paperwork or inaccurate information from your servicer
- Incorrect information on your credit report related to your federal student loans, including loans that have already been paid off
- Issues filing an application for Borrower Defense to Repayment
| How to open a constituent case |
Start by finding the website for your representative or senator.
Each Member of Congress has their own website, so they are organized differently. To submit a request, look for the option on their website that says something like “Constituent Services,” “Casework,” or “Get Help With a Federal Agency.” You will need to complete a privacy waiver so that a caseworker can take action on your behalf; some offices will have you complete the privacy waiver first, or it may be part of the form to submit your case information.
It can take time for a caseworker to review and start looking into your case, so you may not get an immediate response. If you have not received a response within 3 business days, call the office to request an update on your casework request. In the meantime, let us know you’ve shared your story—tag your Member of Congress and use the hashtag #ProtectBorrowersNOW.
Helpful Reminders
To request casework assistance:
- You must be a resident of the state of the senator or representative you are contacting.
- Your issue must involve a federal agency (this includes federal student loans owned by ED, even if they are serviced by a private company like MOHELA).
- Your issue must not be about a state or local agency, or with private student loans.
- Your case must not involve a pending court action.
- You will need to complete, sign, and send in a Privacy Act Waiver. Each office will have their own version of the waiver; some offices accept this digitally, but some offices may require you to print and mail a form.