Biden Highlights Student Debt Relief Program
President Joe Biden speaks at an event where he highlighted his student debt cancellation program at Delaware State University in Dover on Friday (Andrew McKeough/AKSM Photography).
His remarks on Friday came after two big wins for the Administration’s debt relief program.
Article by Cate McCusker, Senior White House Correspondent
DOVER, DE - On Friday afternoon, President Biden traveled to Delaware State University to deliver remarks on his student debt relief program.
The application for the debt relief program officially opened on Monday, but the Biden administration has agreed in court documents to hold off on canceling any debt until this Sunday.
In Biden’s plan, individual borrowers who earned less than 125,000 in 2020 or 2021, and married couples or heads of households who earned less than $250,000, are eligible to see up to 10,000 of their federal student loan debt forgiven. Additionally, if a qualifying borrower received a federal Pell grant in college, that individual is also eligible for up to $20,000 of debt forgiveness.
Biden held the speech at Delaware State University, a public historically black university in Dover, Delaware. At the University, 75% of the students are Pell Grant recipients.
After the Democratic leaders of the state, Senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper - who also served as Governor of Delaware - and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, sang the praises of the President, a University student took the stage, leading the President.
“President Joe Biden gave me the liberty to graduate debt free,” said student Zachary Bernard, as he explained how important Biden’s student debt relief program was to him.
“Zach, you and I got through school the same way,” Biden said when he approached the podium. “I was an RA, a resident advisor. And it helped me get through law school. And I’m glad you were able to benefit from what we’re doing.”
Biden talked about the program and urged students to apply for the loan relief, even spelling out the website that they needed to visit. He boasted how well it was already doing, saying that he had already received 10,000 letters from students.
Biden spoke to the audience on a personal level, touching on his love for the University, his home state, and their football game on Saturday.
“I understand you got a big game tomorrow,” he said, as Delaware State will be playing against Howard University, Vice President Kamala Harris’ alma mater. “But, folks, look…I want you to win, but take it a little easy, okay? Because I got to go back to Washington.”
Audience members cheered with excitement and approval of the President throughout his speech, with one audience member even shouting, “I love you Mr. President” as Biden stared into the crowd.
His remarks on Friday came after two big wins for the Administration’s debt relief program.
On Thursday, Amy Coney Barrett rejected a challenge to the program brought by a Wisconsin taxpayer group. That same day, a federal district court rejected another lawsuit brought by six Republican-led states.
Biden taunted these wins and began to call out specific Republicans who were attacking his program, including Ted Cruz, the Republican Senator from Texas.
“He said it’s for “slackers” who don’t deserve relief,” Biden said of Cruz. “Who the hell do they think they are?”
Biden’s powerful language against the Republicans, and his following statements on gun reform and abortion, were all met with roars of approval from the crowd.
“By the way,” he said, leaning close to the microphone, as if he was letting the audience in on a secret. “I’m coming back and I’m going to eliminate assault weapons again.”
Biden ended his speech by giving thanks to and blessing the military before departing for his property in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he will spend the weekend with his family.