STUDENT LOANS

What would a Kamala Harris presidency mean for student loan holders?

Kamala Harris has been officially declared the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate for the November election. What are her policies on student loans?

Kevin LamarqueREUTERS

Vice President Kamala Harris has secured enough votes from Democratic delegates to win the the party’s nomination for the election in November, and is now the presumptive nominee for president of the United States.

If she wins the presidential election, this could give people who are still paying off student debt another chance to have their loans forgiven.

READ ALSO: Kamala Harris wins the Democratic presidential nomination

What would a Kamala Harris presidency mean for student loan holders?

One of the flagship programs of President Joe Biden’s administration has been student loan forgiveness. His government has canceled more than $160 billion in federal student loans for almost 4.6 million people.

As vice president, Harris has supported this move, as well as other forms of loan forgiveness, such as Biden’s proposal to cancel between $10,000 and $20,000 for borrowers who fall below an income cap.

The Supreme Court overruled this program, and the president has formulated another proposal to give relief to these borrowers. If this measure is not implemented during Biden’s term, it is likely that Harris would pursue the matter if she becomes president.

Her past performance in politics indicates a high likelihood that student loan forgiveness would be part of her agenda.

READ ALSO: Kamala Harris’ family history

Kamala Harris’ position on student debt

Harris’ track record before she became vice president reveals her position on funding education. As California attorney general, she filed charges against a for-profit college for deceptive practices that took advantage of low-income students.

She also became part of a campaign launched by attorneys general from a number of states to help students who have been buried in debt due to the deceitful policies of for-profit universities.

As senator, she supported the Debt-free College Act, which did not become law.

When she initially ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, Harris proposed a debt cancellation program that was narrower in scope than what she eventually supported as part of the Biden administration.

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