Page 8 The Skanner Portland & Seattle September 21, 2022
News
40 Million Will Receive Student Loan Forgiveness Under Biden Plan
In state-by-state data released on Tuesday, Sept. 20, by the U.S. Department of Education, its estimated
that more than 40 million borrowers nationwide could benefit from the student debt relief plan, and
nearly 20 million might see their entire remaining balance discharged.
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire
A
n estimated 3.55
million California
borrowers are eligi-
ble for student debt
relief under President Joe
Biden’s recent loan for-
giveness plan, including
more than 2.3 million Pell
Grant recipients.
In Texas, those figures
stand at 3.3 million and
2.3 million respectively,
while in New York, more
“
Estimated Number of Bor-
rowers Eligible for Student
Debt Relief (rounded to the
nearest hundred) in Oregon:
499,000
than 2.2 million are el-
igible for forgiveness,
including 1.3 million Pell
Grant recipients.
Students and borrow-
ers across the country
are preparing to cash in
on the president’s plan.
About 165,900 borrow-
ers from the District of
Columbia are eligible for
student debt relief un-
der President Joe Biden’s
recent loan forgiveness
President Joe Biden speaks about student loan debt forgiveness in the Roosevelt Room of the White
House, Aug. 24, 2022, in Washington. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona listens at right. The Biden
administration says it will cancel any federal student loans used to attend the for-profit Westwood
College from 2002 through 2015 after officials found that the school exaggerated the job prospects of
graduates. The action will automatically erase $1.5 billion in federal student debt for 79,000 borrowers
who attended the now-defunct college. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
plan, including 60,300
Pell Grant recipients.
Those figures swell in
comparison in Virginia
and Maryland.
In Virginia, 965,100
borrowers are eligi-
ble for relief, including
566,500 Pell Grant re-
cipients. In Maryland,
747,100 enjoy eligibility,
including 419,400 Pell
Grant recipients.
In state-by-state data
released on Tuesday,
Sept. 20, by the U.S. De-
partment of Education,
its estimated that more
than 40 million borrow-
ers nationwide could
benefit from the student
debt relief plan, and
nearly 20 million might
see their entire remain-
ing balance discharged.
Last month, Biden
announced his plan to
forgive borrowers up
to $10,000 in debt relief,
and up to $20,000 for Pell
Grant recipients.
“The Biden Adminis-
tration’s student debt
relief plan will help bor-
rowers and families re-
cover from the pandemic
and prepare to resume
student loan payments
in January 2023,” admin-
istration officials wrote
in a fact sheet.
They said about 90% of
relief dollars will go to
those earning less than
$75,000 per year – and no
relief will go to any indi-
vidual or household in
the top 5% of incomes in
the United States.
Officials said by target-
ing relief to borrowers
with the highest econom-
ic need, the administra-
tion’s actions are also
likely to help narrow the
racial wealth gap.
The White House not-
ed that nearly 71% of
Black
undergraduate
borrowers are Pell Grant
recipients, and 65% of
Latino
undergraduate
borrowers are Pell Grant
recipients.
The Department of
Education plans to soon
release additional de-
tails on how individuals
across the country can
benefit from the Admin-
istration’s student debt
relief plan.
“During the campaign,
he promised to provide
student debt relief. To-
day, the Biden Admin-
istration is following
through on that promise
and providing families
breathing room as they
prepare to start re-pay-
ing loans after the eco-
nomic crisis brought on
by the pandemic.”
For more information,
visit
StudentAid.gov/
debtrelief.
Man Pleads Guilty to Breaking
Windows at Planned Parenthood
The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)
— A man who broke
windows and security
cameras at a Planned
Parenthood clinic in
southwestern Oregon be-
cause he opposed abor-
tion has pleaded guilty
to two counts of violating
the federal Freedom of
Access to Clinic Entranc-
es Act.
Devin Kruse, 27, of
Grants Pass, Oregon,
pleaded guilty Monday,
The Oregonian/Oregon-
Live reported.
Kruse admitted he
broke five security cam-
eras, a window and a sign
at the Grants Pass clinic
on Nov. 23, according to
his plea agreement. He
also said he returned sev-
eral days later and threw
a concrete block through
a window, tore down an
intercom system and
broke lightbulbs, docu-
ments said.
He told officers who
arrested him that all
Planned Parenthood fa-
cilities needed to be shut
down, according to the
agreement.
“The First Amendment
does not allow individ-
uals to violate the civil
rights of others. In this
case, Mr. Kruse’s de-
structive and intimidat-
ing acts prevented wom-
en from accessing vital
reproductive and preg-
nancy health services,”
Natalie Wight, Oregon’s
U.S. attorney, said in a
statement.
At a sentencing set for
early next year, prose-
cutors will recommend
that he face two years of
probation, one for each
count.
He has also agreed
to pay restitution to
Planned Parenthood in
an amount to be deter-
mined.