Almost half of U.S. governors have signed a joint letter calling on President Joe Biden to scrap the student loan forgiveness plan, which could see at least $10,000 cut from eligible Americans' student loan debt, according to NPR.
"As governors, we support making higher education more affordable and accessible for students in our states, but we fundamentally oppose your plan to force American taxpayers to pay off the student loan debt of an elite few," the governors wrote in the joint letter, which was released on Monday (September 12).
Americans who received the Pell Grant, awarded to low-income students, can see up to $20,000 of student loan debt forgiven under the plan. Borrowers who didn't get the grant will have $10,000 knocked off their debt. Those who earn less than $125,000 a year are eligible for the one-time relief.
The governors, who are all Republicans, argued that lower-income Americans will be paying off the debts of doctors, lawyers, and professors. They also claim it's unfair to those who already paid off their debts.
"College may not be the right decision for every American, but for the students who took out loans, it was their decision: able adults and willing borrowers who knowingly agreed to the terms of the loan and consented to taking on debt in exchange for taking classes," according to the letter.
It continues: "Rather than addressing the rising cost of tuition for higher education or working to lower interest rates for student loans, your plan kicks the can down the road and makes today's problems worse for tomorrow's students."
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona told NPR the plan was crafted to help Americans bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic and boos the economy.
"Everyone knows someone that's struggling post-pandemic," he said in August. "And, you know, if we help folks in the communities so that they - reduce the chances of them going into default, everybody wins. It helps the economy."
These are the 22 Republican governors who signed the letter:
- Kim Reynolds, Iowa
- Doug Ducey, Arizona
- Brian Kemp, Georgia
- Mike Parson, Missouri
- Chris Sununu, New Hampshire
- Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma
- Bill Lee, Tennessee
- Mark Gordon, Wyoming
- Kay Ivey, Alabama
- Asa Hutchinson, Arkansas
- Brad Little, Idaho
- Greg Gianforte, Montana
- Doug Burgum, North Dakota
- Henry McMaster, South Carolina
- Greg Abbott, Texas
- Mike Dunleavy, Alaska
- Ron DeSantis, Florida
- Larry Hogan, Maryland
- Pete Ricketts, Nebraska
- Mike DeWine, Ohio
- Kristi Noem, South Dakota
- Spencer Cox, Utah
Republicans and conservative pundits slammed Biden's student loan forgiveness plan as soon as it was announced. The official White House Twitter called out certain GOP leaders and representatives for hypocrisy.
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