The White House has extended the student loan repayment deadline through May 1, 2022 — just weeks before the moratorium was set to expire.
The White House extended the deadline amid pressure from progressive Democrats, concerned about a bloodbath during the midterm elections.
Pres. Joe Biden paused the repayment moratorium due to the mild Omicron variant.
In a statement on Tuesday, Biden said “millions of student loan borrowers are still coping with the impacts of the pandemic and need some more time before resuming payments.”
The president previously refused to extend the repayment moratorium past February 1, saying his decision was “final.”
Voters are pressuring Biden to cancel all federal student loan debt, as he promised to do prior to the 2020 election.
The reaction on Twitter was a mix of relief and frustration at the delay in canceling student loan debt.
i almost broke down in tears at work when i heard about the extended student loan repayment freeze
— pine trimmings (@grimalkintoes) December 22, 2021
I already paid off my student loans. But why not cancel all debt? We shouldn’t have to pay for stuff we want!
— Bossy Barnhard ?? (@Leishac) December 22, 2021
@POTUS great job thank you. Now it is time to fix this issue by cancelling student loan as promised
— khalid bahadri (@khalidbahadri) December 22, 2021
??Joeeeee Buddennnn ? U want herd immunity …. CANCEL STUDENT LOANS for the vaxxed ?????and see how fast everybody get in formation. Use the power of that pen sis!
— US Rep. Stimmy Hoarder ? (@hydr8hoe) December 22, 2021
@POTUS The #studentloan payment pause extension is great!
But what happened to the #studentloanforgiveness you promised? I appreciate your want to be bipartisan… But sometimes you should just do what's right for the millions of people drowning in systematically caused debt.
— Laurel (@FitBibliophile) December 22, 2021