Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is urging President-elect Joe Biden to act quickly once he is sworn in to forgive up to $50,000 in student debt per borrower.
During a press conference on Monday, Schumer said, âWe have come to the conclusion that President Biden can undo this debt, can forgive $50,000 of debt the first day he becomes president.â
âYou donât need Congress, all you need is the flick of a pen,â he added.
Schumer went on, âJust one flick of a pen could reduce 25% of the wealth gap between Blacks and whites. And 27% of the wealth gap between white and Latinx, brown.â
He noted that the Federal Reserve said the move would be a âhuge shot in the arm to the economy.â
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Last week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) voiced her support for Biden canceling student debt and argued that he would not need to wait for Congress to pass legislation.
âStudent loan debt is different,â she said, adding, âAll on his own, President-elect Biden will have the ability to administratively cancel billions of dollars in student loan debt using the authority that Congress has already given to the secretary of education.â
Biden has previously voiced support for canceling student debt. However, his aides said he believes Congress would have to act.
Last month, Biden said he would like to see the âimmediate $10,000 forgiveness of student loans, helping people up there in real trouble.â
âTheyâre having to make choices between paying their student loan and paying the rent. Those kinds of decisions,â he added.
