Sandy Springs, GA — Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Marietta), a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, released the following statement applauding the recent decision by Secretary Miguel Cardona and the Department of Education to reinstate a policy of debt forgiveness for defrauded students and overturn one implemented by his predecessor. It’s projected that more than 70,000 students will receive full federal loan cancellation following the decision, many of them veterans. McBath has been a strong advocate on behalf of students who have been defrauded and misled by institutions of higher education following the March 2019 closure of the Argosy University campus in the Sixth District that left 1,500 students without a transferrable degree or loan forgiveness. She introduced legislation to make permanent the Obama-era policy that the Department of Education now plans to follow, and the bill was included in the landmark College Affordability Act.

“Our students work hard every day to earn an education and chase after their dreams. In my own district, Argosy University ripped off hundreds of kids, leaving them with untransferable credits, huge amounts of student debt, and degrees that aren’t worth anything. Students should be leaving school ready for success, not paying for the misconduct of predatory institutions.

“Since coming to Congress, I have fought on behalf of student borrowers to make sure there is a quick and fair process to secure support when an institution misleads them. I was deeply troubled by reports in recent years that tens of thousands of students, many of them veterans who served our nation, had claims pending for years with the Department under Secretary DeVos. Many of those veterans depleted their GI benefits to attend an institution that closed with little warning and are now unable to recover their benefits or are saddled with debt.

“I’m pleased to see the Department get rid of the damaging rule that we have been fighting against for years and take a step toward a more timely and fair process for the students who need financial support the most. It is our duty as legislators to protect the success of our students as they pursue higher education. I look forward to continuing our work in the Committee on Education and Labor and with the Department to deliver relief to our borrowers, make sure that future generations are protected from institutions who cannot and will not deliver on their promises, and protect the wellbeing of all our students.”