Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Penn.) on Oct. 25 led a bicameral letter urging the U.S. Department of Education to support SAVE enrollees in forbearance (PDF). Since the U.S. Court of Appeals issued a ruling preventing the Department of Education from operating the SAVE Plan in July, all SAVE enrollees have been placed in a temporary forbearance [refer to Washington Highlights, July 26].
The letter urged the department to count the current period of forbearance for Public Service Loan Forgiveness borrowers and restore access to other income-based repayment plans during the court injunction, noting, “we remain concerned about the importance of ensuring that all borrowers have adequate support and information to successfully navigate student loan repayment as litigation continues. The Department must also ensure that it has sufficient plans in place to facilitate a successful and immediate transition for affected borrowers should the final judicial ruling ultimately prevent implementation of the SAVE plan.”
The AAMC joined other higher education organizations in a similar letter to the U.S. Department of Education with recommendations to support SAVE enrollees in forbearance [refer to Washington Highlights, Sept. 20].