Ranking Member Scott Criticizes Education Department for Raising Student Loan Payments and Limiting Access to Higher Education

Ranking Member Scott Criticizes Education Department for Raising Student Loan Payments and Limiting Access to Higher Education

WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Department of Education finalized a rule titled "Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE)," which implements changes to the student loan program that Republicans' passed in the 'Big, Ugly Bill.'

"The Department of Education's final student loan rule will put getting a college degree out of reach for millions of students, particularly for low- and middle-income Americans. Capping graduate borrowing, removing key pathways that help students afford advanced degrees, and making student loans harder to repay does not 'solve' the student loan crisis- it makes it worse. This rule simultaneously pushes students towards the often-predatory private lending market, leaving low-income students with fewer protections and higher loan bills.

"As of December 2025, over 1.8 million federal student loan borrowers were in late-stage loan delinquency, and over 7.7 million have defaulted on their loans. And, according to a December 2025 survey, 42 percent of borrowers reported having to choose between covering their basic needs and making a loan payment. These people need support and may be eligible for deferments, lower payments, or even discharge. Unfortunately, this rule limits those options. Additionally, the rule abolishes the Biden Administration's SAVE plan and funnels borrowers into costlier repayment options through the Tiered Standard Plan and the Repayment Assistance Plan.

"Moreover, the Trump Administration compounds this harm by attempting to illegally dismantle the Department of Education itself, offloading critical borrower support functions onto the Department of the Treasury - an agency with no meaningful expertise in student loan servicing or borrower protections. This is not reform, and it leaves millions of Americans without clear guidance precisely when the stakes are highest.

"Borrowers don't need more confusion, more costs, and more risk shifted onto their shoulders. They need a repayment framework that meets them where they are- one built on stability, affordability, and genuine accountability. I urge the Department to do what its mission demands: put students first, protect access to affordable loans, and give borrowers the support they need to repay their loans."

Background: In March, Ranking Member Scott led over 85 House Democrats' opposition to the Department of Education's proposed rule on federal student loans. To read, click here.

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