Voices Behind the Student Debt Crisis

“I am enrolled in SAVE, am 77 years old and earned my doctorate with student loans. I still owe $73,000 after being an adjunct college professor for more than 45 years. I also am a Vietnam-era veteran,” – Ricky, constituent of Rep. Kiley

“[Student] Debt affects every part of my life. I have faced housing insufficiency and homelessness. I am unable to purchase a home or car. I have been denied from specific jobs due to a credit check. Dealing with my student loan servicer has always been a hassle. I’m never sure who to communicate with since my loans have been transferred to other companies multiple times. My student loans now total $157,000. Help us,” – Jay’Riah T. constituent of Rep. Kiley

“My wife and I are both graduate trained health professionals. I work in a hospital and medical school setting. We have two young daughters, age 3 and 6. We are barely able to afford to make ends meet each month; we are living paycheck to paycheck. If our loan payments go up, we will not be able to pay the increase. We are very worried about this,” – Joe, constituent of Rep. DeSaulnier

“I am enrolled in SAVE. My student debt is a seemingly insurmountable financial challenge. I have paid, sometimes…$500+, but the balance never decreases. Now I owe close to $100K more than I even borrowed and I finished school 10 years ago. It feels hopeless and predatory. The interest rates and recapitalization of interest to prey on young adults is creating a generation drowning in debt,” – Rochelle, constituent of Rep. Takano

“I am nearly 64 years old. My husband is getting ready to retire. I have been on income based payments for several years. I was hoping that once my husband retired, my payments would go down. I am self-employed but I am barely making a profit. I don’t know how I will ever be able to afford higher payments once he’s retired. Congress CANNOT consider eliminating IDR or forcing borrowers to pay even more,” – Lisa G., constituent of Rep. Kevin Kiley

“Since 2020 my ability to pay my debts has decreased due to strangling inflation and increased cost of living. I am 67 and needing to take on another job to make ends meet. I may have to put off retirement until I can make more money. If my current payment increased $200 a month I would have to put off retirement and get a new job or a couple of new jobs,” – John, constituent of Rep. Takano

“I am a public librarian, with a passion for literacy and serving diverse and underrepresented communities. As soon as I began working full time for public libraries, I consolidated my loans and certified my employment for the PSLF program. In order to make qualifying payments, I took shorter maternity leave with my two children… The months of full-time, qualifying employment are passing, and I am watching the dream of being student-debt free by age 40 fade away. I would have made higher monthly payments to reduce my principal balance if I had known that I would be forced into a standard repayment plan… I am so close to reaching the PSLF finish line. The wish of owning a home, getting a safer family car, or even enrolling my children in extracurriculars would disappear,” – Rachel M., constituent of Rep. Kiley

“I am an elementary school teacher. I had to take loans out to pay for my schooling, tests to become certified, and bills while I student taught as it’s unpaid. I now barely make enough to get by! If the PSFL goes away, I will never be able to pay off my loans. If they hike up my payment, I won’t be able to afford it or anything else I need to survive. This has caused so much stress and hardship in my life worrying about these payments, the loans, how I’m going to get by, etc. I know many Americans are in the same boat as me! It makes more sense to cancel student loans all together and will better the economy as a whole! Please don’t get rid of the programs that are currently set in place! Many Americans will drown if these programs and safeguards get dismantled,” – Rachel G. constituent of Rep. Kiley

“I am the breadwinner in a single income household, with a disabled co-parent and a preschool-aged child. The SAVE plan was a huge source of hope and relief… I had even considered trying to uplift my family and buy a house in the next year or two; but there is no way that will happen now. With the threat of student loan payments going up, on top of many other social programs… on the chopping block, it’ll be all I can do to get by. The dream of owning a home and building generational wealth, which my own low-income parents never had – which is WHY I had to take out student loans in the first place – is now unattainable,” – Cassandra, constituent of Rep. Kiley

“I’m 70 years old, a parent of three.… I am paying off over $70,000 in Parent Plus loans. Under IDR, I pay $374 a month. Without that assurance, paying off the loans could destroy my budget…. I’m on a fixed income, and millions of students are struggling to start their careers, buy houses, and start their families. Education is rightfully a PUBLIC investment, and student debt should be eliminated,” – Gregory F., CA resident

“I am enrolled in SAVE. As a caretaker to my husband (with cancer), it is extremely nerve racking not knowing what my payments will be and IF I can afford my student loans and/or my husband’s care,” – Diana, constituent of Rep. DeSaulnier

“I have 18 months left before I’ve completed 10 years working as a Nurse at a not for profit hospital. The most recent changes to the Dept of Ed is very concerning and frustrating. The unforeseen and thought of a potential set back in my PSLF track is overwhelmingly stressful. I now have 3 small children, increasing my monthly payments is not an option,” – Francesca, constituent of Rep. DeSaulnier

“I am enrolled in the SAVE plan. I’m a single person trying to survive the expensive cost of living, especially due to the high cost of rent in CA. The whole reason I pursued higher education was to be able to work to solely support myself. This is already difficult to do, and on top of student loan payments becoming more and more outrageous, I decided not to have a family due to the financial instability this puts on me. I acknowledge I agreed to take these loans for my education but the state of the economy has only gotten worse. It is unfair that those who overextend themselves with credit card debt have ways to get out (i.e. bankruptcy-multiple times), but those of us who tried to do better for ourselves get no relief or chance to better our situations,” – Stephanie, constituent of Rep. Takano

“I am a doctor of pharmacy, and now a newly tenured associate professor at the University of Connecticut. If I only had to pay the original balance of my loans, I could, but the astronomical interest on them racked up through residency and post-graduate fellowship means I owe nearly three times the borrowed amount. I will never live to pay this back. I delayed buying a home, and have lost all hope in ever starting a family. Without the PSLF program, I don’t know what I’ll do. I will die before I could ever pay this back. I owe three times the amount on my loans as I do on my two-bedroom house built in the 1950’s. I drive a car from 2012. I do not live in luxury. It is wrong for the interest rate to be so high, and the PSLF program to be gutted for a political agenda. This will absolutely wreck higher learning in the US for a generation. We’re already experiencing “brain drain,” – Stephanie G. constituent of Rep. Courtney

“With the current uncertainty about the future of Social Security, I am worried abut my retirement finances, since I have not been able to privately save. Given the Administration’s call to end the US Department of Education, I am worried how that will affect my job as a teacher. The fact that I will still have my loans even though they should have already been forgiven via PSLF is adding stress to this financial uncertainty. …. I CANNOT afford to make payments NOT based on my income. … I have started to consider filing bankruptcy as a way to handle my debt if these programs are taken away,” – Corey M. constituent of Rep. Courtney

“I incurred this debit when I was trying to advance my career as a nurse…. I will not be able to pay these student loans at all if they get rid or eliminate my IDR. It will ruin my life, my credit and my safety because we live in Central Florida and we need a roof badly. I have been working to get my credit correct by paying bills on time, barely surviving on one income. I thought Mr. Trump was going to help make things better for the American people, we don’t have millions and were not born into money like he was, life is rough at the bottom of the United States Barrel and getting worse by the minute,” – Wendy O., resident of Florida

“Without PSLF, my past 8 years working in a military veteran hospital would not count and I would be unable to continue working in this hospital near a large urban area since the rents are so high. Without IDR, I could not afford the standard repayment plan on a 6-figure debt balance….I will never be able to afford a home,” – Esther, resident of Florida

“I’m a hard working American who went on my pursuit of the American Dream by getting a career, buying a home, and pursuing higher education… I’m working hard every day, have done all the right things, and am serving my community. I won’t be contributing to the economy if I’m drowning in debt. Now I’m facing houselessness as a Master’s degree student who has worked extremely hard for everything that I have and am just needing additional support like lower monthly student loan payments to simply live. I want to pay off my debt and I want to survive and to support my family so the lower monthly payment under the SAVE plan was a saving grace to keep in afloat in this economy….I’m not asking for a hand out, I’m asking for you to be realistic in supporting the constituents who you serve and understand the nuances to people’s stories. We want to be responsible and pay what is due, but we shouldn’t be in a shelter or on the street to do it,” – Destini S. constituent of Rep. Wilson

“I have paid on this loan for over 20 years, and my husband and I are old. Having the loan forgiven or at least being allowed to be on the IBR would dramatically improve our lives. I was a community College English instructor, and I did not make nearly the salary I should have for my education level, but I believed in helping non privileged people get out of poverty through education. Education and a chance at a good life should not only be for the wealthy and privileged. The policies Trump and the Republicans are proposing are unfair and will take away opportunity for millions of Americans, myself included, who will have to choose between food and student loan payments if you get rid of IBR options,” – Catherine, constituent of Rep. Fine

“I am a 72 year old single female working a 40 hour a week job to be able to make my Parent Plus payments each month. I can’t afford to not work if I want to pay the loan and enjoy a little bit of life,” – Mary, constituent of Rep. Fine

“I earned a master’s in mental health counseling to help others like my mother, who battled severe mental illness. After working in dangerous, low-paying roles, I now work for my family’s small business to support my husband, a first responder, and our 3 kids. I hoped the SAVE program would ease our burden, but now fear losing affordable payments. We answered the call to serve—please keep programs like SAVE accessible for families like mine,” – Lori S. constituent of Rep. Allen

“I am a teacher. My monthly income from my job is $4000 and my student loan payment just went from $100 to $1900 a month. How can I pay this and live? My husband lost his job 3 weeks ago. Now I am the sole provider for my family! What can I do? I was on hold for 9 hours today with Mohela. No one ever answered my call. Borrowers deserve help. Not punishment. Please help me,” – Melanie E., constituent of Rep. Allen

“I am 60 years old. I went back to school after 13 years as a stay at home mom to escape an abusive marriage. I left school in 2013 owing $80.000. I now owe $150,000. That’s my story. I hope to die owing the government because I have no hope of ever being able to pay this debt,” – Cheryl C., constituent of Rep. McBath

“The save plan allows me to contribute to the United States economy. If my payments were to be increased, I wouldn’t be able to do anything from a discretionary perspective, not contribute to the economy in any way whatsoever. This is literally debilitating to think about. So many businesses will shutter from those no longer in a position to contribute,” – Robin A., constituent of Rep. McBath

“I borrowed $41k in the 90’s. I have paid it back more than 2 times over but still owe $332k….yes, $332k!! I am 53 years old and haven’t been able to save for retirement because of this and despite making a good salary. Sallie Mae never offered me IDR when I desperately needed it as a young adult. Instead they pushed me into expensive deferment and forbearance where my balance just went up and up, making it more impossible to afford the payment plans they offered. …I’m still paying much, much more than I ever borrowed but I just want to do my last 23 payments and be done. We will be financially ruined if the SAVE/IDR options are removed. Sallie Mae did this to me. I have played by every rule and never avoided my obligations,” – Robyn, constituent of Rep. McBath

“At 61, I’m $80,000 in student loan debt… I’ve spent my life helping others, but interest has quadrupled my debt. I fear I’ll never escape it, even in old age. It feels wrong to work so hard for others, yet be trapped by debt, but I continue to push forward, helping where I can. It’s hopeless,” – Lisa S., resident of Illinois

“Without IBR, my payments will go from $700 pretty month, to $8000 due to me having a BA, MA, and a PsyD. This would literally be devastating to my family. I would no longer be able to save for retirement or my children’s college,” – Amy, constituent of Rep. Miller

“We have paid the cost many times over already because of the predatory practices and existing system. We have gotten nothing for free. Borrowers deserve support, we don’t deserve to be punished,” – Krystal D., resident of Illinois

“Higher education is not just about improving oneself. Higher education is what can and has helped this country navigate its toughest challenges. Higher education is a patriotic undertaking that helps our whole country move forward and prepare to overcome obstacles we have yet to face. Constricting the opportunities that citizens have by limiting access, cutting curriculum, and making it unaffordable, either directly or indirectly, directly affects our nation’s ability to bring its entire citizenry into the future. Programs like IBR and PSLF are a mere pittance for American students’ and graduates’ contributions to their communities. College should be free. It is disappointing, to say the least, that elected officials that work for their constituencies want to send a message that college is inaccessible for an even larger segment of the population. And that they supported that measure to support their constituents. There are a lot of us out here with longstanding student loan debt. If you support taking away any of the meager protections we’ve been granted, prepare to lose your next election,” – Midge M. constituent of Rep. Miller

“I graduated Dental school in 1991 with an incurred student loan debt of $130K. I am now 61 years old and hoping to enjoy my retirement soon. It is now 34 years later and I am still paying this off. …I have already paid 5x the amount I borrowed. Someone at Sallie Mae or Navient or MOHELA or whatever it is now is racketeering and loan sharking off my honest, hard work and countless others in my situation. Individuals who have the fortitude and drive to better themselves and to benefit society are being treated like criminals by bloodsucking parasites who are in actuality conducting legalized miscreant activity. …The student loan department of this country is discouraging motivated individuals from bettering themselves and our country. This whole student loan situation is grossly broken, mismanaged and a cancerous disease of our society,” – John L., constituent of Rep. Miller

“Even with the SAVE program, my minimum monthly payments are $495.40 / month. I have a family of 7 to support. I’m a doctor with an MBA, but don’t qualify for the PSLF because I don’t work for a nonprofit! Hearing the administration is practically gutting the Dept. Of ED had my stomach in knots and tears in my eyes. This affects more than student loans, too. It’s just devastating and being in such limbo causes so much anxiety!” – Alecia, constituent of Rep. Miller

“Before SAVE, my payments were $656/month and at one point jumped up to almost $900. On the SAVE plan, I had a much more manageable payment of $444,” – Meredith, constituent of Rep. Miller

“I will turn 68 in a couple weeks…. without the SAVE plan and other affordable repayment options, I will be forced to delay retirement until I am unable to work, and then continue paying these student loans until I die, probably prematurely due to stress,” – James W., resident of Indiana

“Having a family of 5, increasing payments is going to have a sizable impact for our family. $200 a month extra will make other budgets tighter than they are currently. With gas and groceries being as pricey as they are, increasing a payment elsewhere is just going to hurt all aspects of our family,” – Katie, constituent of Rep. Messmer

“I have never had a very high paying job. I like my work, but affording loan payments is not easy. It was a huge relief when I got on the SAVE plan and did not have to make any payment based on my income. There is no way I could afford an additional $200 per month right now,” – Terri, constituent of Rep. Messmer

“I am a licensed clinical social worker and I work very hard to just make ends meet. The Save Plan has helped me tremendously during hardships financially and trying to survive inflation and taking care of my parents. I cannot have one more astronomical bill. The money isn’t there for a large payment. And if it becomes between me eating/or helping my parents I will choose that first. This is survival for most of us and the fact that we have billionaires/millionaires making financial decisions for us is ridiculous. Congress and politicians need to know that they are going to cause a financial hardship/economic decline because people cannot afford more than what they are paying now. They have no clue what it is truly like being a hard working human working three jobs just to survive,” – Lauren, constituent of Rep. Comer

“I am trying to save money for a down payment on a new vehicle for us as my husband’s car is over 12 years old and we need a SUV. We’re trying to have a baby and need a bigger, newer car. If my and my husband’s loan payments go up $200 each, we will struggle to save money and it will cause undue delay in having a child,” – Shelby, constituent of Rep. Comer

“I never expected to be in my mid 50s with unpaid student loans, minimal income, and fear that my future social security (if it still exists) will be garnished due to unpaid student loan debt.” Lisa B., resident of Louisiana

“I graduated with a teaching degree in 2006 and I’m STILL paying on my student loans. Unfortunately, with my husband being a teacher, who also has student loans, we can’t get ahead. We do not make enough to raise our family and pay off student loans. So the income based repayment plan has been a huge help to us. It’s sad that two teachers who graduated almost 20 years ago are still dealing with student loan debt,” – Jennifer, constituent of Chairman Walberg

“This impacts my family as a social worker because everything else costs more and my income is not going up, I am working in a lower income position even though I have a Masters degree specifically to do the PSLF and so it is frustrating to not know what is going to happen… and now I can’t even change programs to IDR/something else similar to pay right now towards PSLF,” – Kaylee, constituent of Rep. Stevens

“Student loan debt has limited what we could get approved for a mortgage. It would be difficult to afford to have another child and pay daycare costs if PSLF and IDR plans are eliminated. I’ve put in and certified my 10 years – I’ve done my part of the deal. I’d like the government to hold up their end of the deal,” – Alexandra A, resident of Michigan

“I began paying my student loans in 2001. I graduated as a Nurse Practitioner in 2016. I am now over 70 years old. I only work part-time. My debt is more now than ever. I applied for IDR… There is no way I can continue to carry this huge burden to my grave. I need relief. I still have a mortgage, food, utilities vehicle expenses, medical expenses, etc,” – Kasandra W., constituent of Rep. McClain

“I am 2 years away from public service loan forgiveness. I’m a high school counselor and have 2 small children. Stripping this long standing program from public servants and families will add a huge burden during a time of high inflation, and low birth rate partly due to the cost of living. Is the cruelty the point or do they only care about an economy that benefits the rich? I’m sincerely wondering,” – Ashley C., constituent of Rep. Stevens

“If student loan payments increase, I worry about being able to afford all of our bills, including our mortgage. We are working so hard to stay ahead of debt but life throws curveballs and it feels like we constantly live paycheck to paycheck. On top of this, we are expected to become parents this fall and with the expected cost of childcare and other expenses, the last thing we want to worry about is an increase in student loan payments. Incomes are not raising in a way that combats the ever rising inflation so it feels like you’re always treading water,” – Aleena, constituent of Rep. Stevens

“Programs like IDR and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) are the only reason I have been able to stay afloat financially while giving back through teaching, mentoring, and research. Without them, if I were forced into a standard repayment plan — paying nearly $3,000 or more every month — it would devastate me. I would never be able to buy a home. … I would be penalized for doing exactly what I was taught to believe in: working hard, contributing to society, and pursuing an education that had once felt out of reach. If President Trump eliminates or guts IDR or PSLF, it would destroy the fragile stability I’ve worked so hard to build. It would turn the pride of being the first in my family to earn a PhD into a financial sentence I could never escape — punishing me, and millions of others like me, for daring to dream,” – Brieanna W. resident of Minnesota

“PSLF has been life-changing for me, and I believe it should remain in place for others who are working hard in public service. After years of making payments, submitting forms, and staying committed to my community, I finally reached PSLF last year. Having my federal loans forgiven lifted an enormous weight off my shoulders — it allowed me to continue doing the work I care about without the constant stress of debt hanging over me. I know how many others are still in this process, and it breaks my heart to think that future public servants might lose this opportunity. Getting rid of PSLF or increasing payments would hurt the very people dedicating their careers to schools, nonprofits, public health, and social services. I hope my story can serve as a reminder of the good this program does, and why it’s so important to protect it for those coming up behind me,” – Julie B. constituent of Rep. Omar

“…If I were to be put on the IBR plan, the only one I qualify for, my payment will go from $93 on the SAVE plan to $463 a month. As a solo parent, this is an extremely large expense to accommodate. If the Dept of Ed is dissolved and this administration forces all borrowers onto a standard repayment plan, I will have a student loan payment that is nearly $1500 a month – a payment greater than my mortgage. I would have to take drastic measures which might include going into delinquency or default. This could affect me for years to come, and this administration doesn’t seem to care at all how devastating the consequences are for millions of student loan borrowers. There will be ripple effects far into the future even to our children. It’s terrifying to think about….” – Jillian, constituent of Rep. Omar

“Despite having steadily paid on my student loans without missing an installment or having any late payments, due to interest capitalization I now owe more than I even borrowed! A practice like this hurts everyone by hampering people with debt for up to 25 years, which then negatively impacts the economy for all! I worked the entire time while putting myself through college, graduated, and am even fortunate enough to work in the field I went to school for, but have had great difficulties moving ahead in life or getting out from under the shadow of debt due to the excessive amount and unfair predatory loan practices and policies. Please, it’s understandable to pay for college, but you shouldn’t have to pay for the bulk of your adult life. The current administration’s actions help only corporate lenders, and they do so at the expense of the people,” – Alexander W., constituent of Rep. Omar

“If they hike monthly payments or get rid of PSLF I will have no choice but to default. Forgiveness was still a long time off for me, but without the prospect there is no hope for my financial future and the people who depend on me. I spent a decade earning a doctorate in pursuit of a career in academia. But a broken academic system that depends upon cheaply paid adjunct labor made it impossible for me to do the thing I was meant to do – teach and research. Driving us into the poorhouse is just another sign of this country’s contempt for education and educators,” – Jayne S. constituent of Rep. Omar

“…Now that both the SAVE program and PSLF are up for debate by Republicans, I am worried what my future student loan payments will be and if there will ever be any relief. I couldn’t afford a $200/month payment on top of the already increased prices of everyday living,” – Sarah, constituent of Rep. Omar

“Since graduating with my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and working my entire PT career within nonprofit hospital-based organizations, I have been relying entirely on the PSLF program to manage the insurmountable amount of debt racked up from physical therapy school – debt that was accrued despite working part-time jobs throughout my time in undergrad and PT school. Even with the IDR plans, I often found it difficult to manage the monthly amount and frequently found that I did not have enough money to cover any potential financial emergency. The SAVE program – while still far from solving the burden of crushing student debt – did allow a brief reprieve by making monthly payments more manageable and allowing at least a little more financial security to myself, my spouse, and my 3-year-old son. However, as soon as the SAVE program started hitting obstacle after obstacle, that newfound modicum of financial security was taken away. If my monthly payments increase significantly, my family will struggle to make ends meet given rising prices and a rapidly increasing cost of living. The problems with the student loan/student debt system need fixing urgently, and the people most hurt by those problems are the borrowers themselves – borrowers need help and relief, not continued punishment through higher monthly payments and impenetrably convoluted (and frequently changing) rules that prevent borrowers from being able to navigate the path toward repayment and financial security,” – Tyler, constituent of Rep. Omar

“I am currently eligible for PSLF, but am In administrative forbearance (unwillingly) due to being on the SAVE plan. My entire career is in Public Service, SPED teacher, Americorps, etc. I am 57 years old, raised 3 children alone, survived cancer, have never defaulted on any loan, and have done my years of service and have earned PSLF, but cannot get it due to the court situation,” – Dayan, constituent of Rep. Onder

“… As of now my payments before the deferment were close to $400, I personally couldn’t afford a bigger payment without causing hardship to my living expenses and my families. …I have been a paramedic for 43 years and look to retire in 2027, as I will be 65 y/o. It would have been great to have my loans forgiven as other people have but I know this will not happen but I am in hopes the PSLF will stand and be absolved,” – Marilyn, constituent of Rep. Onder

“I’ve been paying on my student loans – for three degrees – for more than two decades. I now owe substantially more than I did, and compound interest makes it all but impossible to pay off the loans. …Now, if payments go back up, I may end up defaulting because the remaining balance – FAR more than I borrowed to start with – is now so high that I’ll be stuck with a payment I can’t make. We don’t live a luxurious life – we have a three bedroom, 1500 sq ft house in middle America. We raised two kids here and are lucky that we have had decent jobs and were able to afford our mortgage payment thanks to a very low interest rate. I shouldn’t have to worry about whether to pay medical bills or student loans. It’s unacceptable that Congress continues to let this go on. …After more than 2 decades of payments, when I’m 3 years from having enough payments to be forgiven, I owe far more than I borrowed and I’m terrified that three years from now I won’t be able to have my loan forgiven even though I followed the rules,” – Jennifer R. constituent of Rep. Onder

“I am a public educator in Missouri and my income is one of the lowest in the state. I have felt relief that my student loan payments have been counting toward forgiveness because I can afford to pay $89/ month. If it jumps up to more, I’m not sure how that will impact my monthly budgeting – and I even have a master’s degree for education! It feels very stressful to have to constantly worry about my student loans and the APR on the loans. It feels like no matter what I’m paying, my loans never actually decrease because the APR is so high,” – Brittany, constituent of Rep. Onder

“I’ve worked in public service and non profits and I was excited to know that my contributions to society were being rewarded. The salaries that you are paid in these fields are many times not competitive and you do it for the love of humanity. To me, the government was telling us the people that we were a valued part of society. My family will be impacted and I will be personally impacted because it does not feel like those that work for the good of children and families are necessary to society,” – Leslie, constituent of Rep. Foxx

“I took out loans for nursing school because I could not afford it if I didn’t. I knew that nursing would give me long term financial stability so I was ok with taking out loans, but paying over $800 a month in student loans brought me to bankruptcy. However my federal loans remained, even though I paid on them faithfully every month, including during my chapter 13 bankruptcy. …I had always had good credit, but with the games that companies like Sallie Mae and Navient played with interest rates I could never get ahead. And that is unquestionably intentional-to pad the CEO pockets-like everything else in the United States in 2025. If this keeps up there will be no middle class. It will be millionaires/billionaires and the rest of us through corporate greed such as this,” – Wendy A, constituent of Rep. Foxx

“I have been working toward PSLF for over 9.5 years. I have also been paying on my loans. MOHELA put me on the SAVE plan without asking me and now my time/payments are not counting toward PSLF. … PSLF better not be ended! I have worked a long time toward PSLF,” – Cary, constituent of Rep. Foxx

“When I finished my graduate education in mental health counseling, I decided to teach at a public university becaues of the option for PSLF. I could easily make more money in private practice, but training students is one of the more meaningful aspects of my profession. I have been paying my loans for over a decade and barely reduced the principal, even with a moderate average interest rate of approximately 5%. …Programs that incentivize careers that require graduate education is not a political issue. Please protect PSLF and re-establish a reasonable payment plan going forward, ASAP. Thank you,” – Paul D., constituent of Rep. Stefanik

“I simply cannot afford that. I am financially helping my aging parents as they have experienced some income issues. I am carrying my household as well as theirs,” – Amy, constituent of Rep. Stefanik

“I am a military spouse. Despite everything that is going on with student loans and debt forgiveness, We are a demographic that’s been overlooked. My active duty, military soldier barely makes enough to take care of the family. … Any changes to student loans that will increase payments will be detrimental. I am asking for there still to be the possibility of student loan forgiveness on behalf of all borrowers, but especially military spouses. This life is tough, but we choose to support the men and women who protect our country. And at this point, we’re being penalized for it,” – Anonymous, constituent of Rep. Stefanik

“I need IDR so I can afford to have student debt. I wouldn’t have a job and and education if I didn’t have student debt, so student debt is a mandatory part of a job and work. Don’t take away what I need to repay my student debt = SAVE & IDR plans,” – Michael K. resident of New York

“If my payments were taken off from income based repayments it could mean the difference between being able to afford a reliable vehicle, pay my mortgage, utilities and put food on the table for my children. I don’t qualify for SNAP and both my spouse and I have college degrees (associate plus some for my spouse and MBA for myself). I work now. My spouse who is a combat war veteran works…We don’t spend much money on enjoyment as it is primarily basic needs. We cannot afford an increase in student loan payments,” – Anonymous, constituent of Rep. Stefanik

“Please protect my family (and many other families) by protecting IDR plans. Without them, many of us won’t be able to afford groceries, medical care, and rent. We’re not looking to lead luxurious lifestyles, we just want affordable student loan payments that leave us enough money to afford the basics,” – Jennifer G., resident of Ohio

“Hi. I’m really frightened. I’m 70 years old and I have two boys. I also have 370,000 dollars in student loan debt. I am petrified that my children are going to be burdened with my loan debt after I die. I’m low income and there’s no chance I’m going to get it paid. I don’t trust Trump. I’m afraid he’s going to make my kids pay for my debt,” – Susan R. constituent of Rep. Bonamici

“…My education has made me the person I am today, so I understand it was an investment that I willingly made at 18. I’m enrolled in the SAVE plan and worried about Congressional efforts to eliminate this option. I’m also enrolled in the PSLF, and intend to work in a nonprofit as long as this plan is available. As an incentive for public service work, the PSLF is effective. Without these options I’d have some very serious choices to make about where I live, what kind of work I do, how often I’d be able to travel to see family, how I will care for my aging family members and what my future might look like. I’m worried if PSLF qualifications change or it is eliminated entirely I will be significantly impacted,” – Mara H. constituent of Rep. Bonamici

“Because my student loan payment dropped with the SAVE program I was finally able to start putting money in an IRA at age 49 last year. If IDR options go away then I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep that up, and if I have to go to a standard repayment plan, my payments will likely be well over $1000 a month I will no longer be able to save any money and I will probably have to cut back on basics. Additionally I have been in an IDR program for about 19 years and am 6 years away from loan forgiveness. If this disappears I will be paying on my student loan into my 70s and 80s,” – Melinda, constituent of Rep. Bonamici

“I could not have attended college, nor gotten my advanced degree, without student loan programs. As a single parent with no family support, student loans and grants allowed me to raise my child while simultaneously making a better life for us. While I am now fully employed in the field I studied in, the truth is that my income is not yet high enough to pay what the ‘standard payment’ would be for the debt load I am carrying. …If my payment were to go up in the amount that Republican members of Congress seem to be suggesting, it would devastate my family and likely put me on government assistance or even force me into homelessness. Please do not take away the ability for me to continue to build a life for myself and my family. …I have done the right thing, I have followed the rules, and I am starting to see a more beautiful future for my whole family. Please don’t take that away,” – Eric G. constituent of Rep. Bonamici

“These loans have taken a huge toll on my mental health and financial well being. I fear the new administration will dismantle any hope I have left for forgiveness. I’ve been working in nonprofit for 10 years in hopes of receiving forgiveness. I have served my community and just want to get out from under the weight that is federal student loans. It should be a crime to steal from working families like this,” – Stephanie, constituent of Rep. Bonamici

“An additional $200 more a month would make my already burdensome student loan debt almost impossible to bear. On top of student loans, I also pay for childcare and am already stretched. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to pursue any of my dreams, like buying a house or having another child, if the IBRepayment plan is increased or if they eliminate PSLF,” – Rebecca, constituent of Rep. Bonamicci

“I currently pay approximately $200 per month thanks to the income-driven repayment plan. I am working towards student loan forgiveness via PSLF and am a little over halfway there. I would not be able to afford my loan payments, nor would I have any hope of paying off my student debt without these programs. I rely on these programs for my own financial security and independence and would be personally devastated if either were to go away. I have no hope of building my meager savings if I cannot continue to rely on these programs,” – Lauren, constituent of Rep. Lee

“I was able to fulfill my undergraduate education at Northampton Community College and the Pennsylvania State University and graduate studies at Lehigh University thanks to access to Pell Grant, PA State Grant, scholarships, and federal student loans. I have applied for a IDR plan called SAVE. I struggle tremendously to make payments on 104,000 worth of federal student loan debt,” – Ronald J. constituent of Rep. Mackenzie

“I am barely affording life as it is. I have stayed in the education sector for the PSLF program and am worried that I have now sabotaged myself. If the program goes away I am afraid for my housing security, food security, and mental health… My husband and I are 66 years old, retired and still trying to payoff parent plus loans. We can barely afford payments now but if they go up, I’m not sure what we would do. These payments are already an extreme hardship,” – Jess, constituent of Rep. Thompson

“It will impact my family immensely. I have two children with medical issues who cannot work. One of them is the one I took out the loans for in the first place. I am retired and have no idea how this loan is going to be paid,” – Michelle, constituent of Rep. Mackenzie

“Income driven payment plans don’t account for cost of living. I’m an unmarried renter, hoping to get out of this monstrous debt (worsened by interest) so I can marry (not burdening my person with this debt) and focus on beginning our lives, mortgage a house. I feel like my life is stalled. I got a degree and a career that is not a waste, but at 18 years old, presented with loans this size, I couldn’t have imagined this would be my life: unstarted after years of accumulating debt, bad advice by loan servers about forbearance, and increasing rent/groceries/utilities. With the SAVE program, I was able to work towards my years of service (9 years of public service) and affordable sky rocketing rent on an appointment that has not physically changed in anyway since I moved in, and a reliable vehicle to travel to work. I can’t dream of anything else right now because the empathy is lacking for this situation. Affordable payments. Options for loan forgiveness. This is unfortunately the new American dream. Without these things, I could be homeless again because I absolutely won’t be able to cover rent, bills, car payments and insurance and a hefty loan payment. Life is too unpredictable to live penny to penny,” – Sierara, constituent of Rep. Lee

“With the rising costs of food, my husband at risk of losing his local government job for the housing authority, and my eldest with $900 monthly Sallie Mae payments and sleeping on my couch, any increase could cause us to lose everything,” – Lyndsay, constituent of Rep. Thompson

“I am already struggling as it is to make ends meet. I am a teacher and my husband is a therapist and together we are barely paying our mortgage on time. We also just started a family which has added more expenses. I really can’t afford my new estimated loan payments,” – Shelby, constituent of Rep. Thompson

“I am a public school teacher in Richland County, South Carolina. I have been a teacher since August 2014 and would have qualified for total loan cancellation through Public Service Loan Forgiveness in the current month, October 2024, but my progress has been put on hold due to the current injunction against the SAVE plan. On July 27, 2024, I faxed a paper Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) application to MOHELA, yet they still have failed to switch me to Income-Based Repayment (IBR) 3 months later,” – Tyler H., constituent of Rep. Wilson

“Probably won’t be able to afford it. I’m the only person working and I have two four year olds. After being out of school for over 20 years I just recently found a position with a decent salary but now everything keeps going up,” – Aaron, constituent of Rep. Wilson

“I am a 56 year old headed into retirement in the next few years with no savings, $100k in student loan debt with DTI that has prevented home ownership. I am in support of student loan relief which would be an enormous economic stimulus across the nation. Student loans should not be subject to interest rates, or should have very low interest rates. Borrowers need relief,” – Dawn S. constituent of Rep. Casar

“I submitted a SAVE/IDR application through Nelnet. I am currently in forbearance. Undergraduate student loans were disbursed from 1973-1977, and graduate school loans between 1985-1988. I have been paying these loans for at least 36 years, and up to 51 years. I am 70 years old, am fully retired, and am supported solely by my pension. My current loan balance is approx. $3500. I cannot get an answer from Nelnet or studentaid.gov on maximum loan terms. I understand maximum terms are 20-25 years. Taking away relief would be unconscionable,” – Susan A, resident of Texas

“It will be very difficult to pay my students loans back if my payments increase. I have been paying them back for almost 10 years and I have barely made a dent because of interest. I am very nervous about the fate of the dept of education and what it will be mean for me and my husband who also has student loan debt,” – Nicole, constituent of Rep. Casar

“As a first-generation Hispanic college student, the burden of student debt has always loomed over me. I constantly grapple with the question of whether pursuing an education is truly worth the overwhelming financial strain that awaits me after my journey to become the first college graduate in my family. Growing up, the weight of student debt was an ever-present concern. It casts a shadow on my dreams and aspirations… I wrestled with thoughts of giving up and settling for a trade that didn’t align with my true passions out of fear of the impending debt. The impact of student debt goes beyond individual struggles; it affects the entire fabric of our society,” – Brandon G., constituent of Rep. Owens

“Please do not make my life even harder. I am a nurse… Our house is in need of major renovations, my vehicle is 24 years old because I can’t afford a new one and it still runs. If it breaks down I don’t know what I would do even without having to pay back students that would be more than my mortgage or credit card payments from having to fix all the things that have broken in our home. Including basic necessities like heat and a/c, sewage and pipes….I busted my butt to earn a degree that saves lives. …I have no way to save for retirement because any excess income would go to this horrible unjust payment. You should be ashamed of yourselves for even considering your actions and lack of pushing for forgiveness so that your constituents can climb out of financial debt and in someway find joy in this life. But yet you are bought and paid for by the special interests and bribes that buy you off. History will not remember you fondly,” – Jennifer D, constituent of Rep. Owens

“I’m freshly unemployed and any increase in our monthly payments will endanger my family’s ability to remain in our house and put food on the table,” – Chase, constituent of Rep. Scott

“I went to school and received multiple degrees. I have an enormous amount of student loan debt, the debt I owe today is insane compared to what I originally took out. I will never be able to buy a home, and I am stuck working jobs that make x amount of money just to pay my bills. My Student Loan Debt (SLB) is currently in deferment. However, I am very concerned about what is happening. I was in the SAVE program and I taught public education for 10 years. The system only accepted maybe 3 years. Borrowers deserve relief,” – Cecilia C., constituent of Rep. Scott

“…because of this order by the Trump administration…I will be forced to pay about $730 monthly, which there is no way I can do. My salary is nowhere near that high. If I don’t pay, my wages will be garnished, I won’t be able to buy food, medicine, necessities, and I’ll lose my apartment. I’ll literally be homeless if I have to pay that much. I have no problem paying back a loan; that’s the entire premise of a loan. But when the system is rigged against us just because we borrowed money to obtain an education, that’s when we have to do something. The compounding interest and selling of our loans is a huge problem as well. Since I graduated, my loans have been sold to three different companies, and I can’t keep up with the interest. I wasn’t given everything on a silver platter like Trump; my parents worked hard to provide for my two brothers and I, but didn’t have extra to save for college for us. This will literally ruin my life right now, and I’m not exaggerating,” – Tess E. constituent of Rep. Scott

“If my student loan payment goes up, I won’t be able to afford my mortgage payment and living expenses because the affordability of everyday living is already hard enough,” – Tressy, constituent of Rep. Scott

“Please protect PSLF? …I would not have taken out as many loans as I did if these forgiveness options were being contested – there was never any question about them during the Obama years. The majority of my life decisions since grad school have hinged on PSLF. Congress CANNOT push this relief further out of reach,” – Emily, resident of Washington

“As a healthcare chaplain, I choose to work in a non-profit hospital and am underpaid because of my passion for supporting the most vulnerable in our society. An increase in my payments would significantly impact the already tight budget of my family. PSLF is really the only option for me to get out of student loan debt while maintaining my career,” – Robert, constituent of Rep. Baumgartner

“I’m $290,000 in debt on approx. $165,000 of student loans (I’ve lost count at this point). I have 9 years left to reach my 25-year repayment goal. Now, they’ve taken away our ability to have income-based repayment. My monthly payment is estimated at $3,600 and there is no way my family and I can afford that. I took these loans out with the promise of affordable payments, and forgiveness at the end of 25 years,” – Brandy S., resident of Washington

“The destruction that this would cause to my, and so many of my friends lives or loved ones lives would be catastrophic. So many young people I know would love to start a family, but with student loans hanging over their heads and now with the threat of even higher rates, the thought of being able to start a family in a few years or ever for that matter, is fleeting. …I and many of my friends are only barely getting by, making at or below the poverty level… higher rates of crippling student debt would mean more people, unable to afford housing, food, basic necessities for life,” – Madeline W., constituent of Rep. Grothman

“I’m a public servant that has given 8.5 years of my life to the public sector. I went to law school from 2011-2014, paying my way with loans because my family could not afford to assist. I left school with $250K in debt, hoping to work my way out with PSLF. With the Trump admin looming, I’m terrified that after 8.5 years, I will not see my loans forgiven, as promised,” – Megan R., resident of Wisconsin