President Donald Trump’s executive order on coronavirus aid that defers federal student loan payments to the end of the year may be an opportunity for …
President Donald Trump’s executive order on coronavirus aid that defers federal student loan payments to the end of the year may be an opportunity for progressives to push broader loan forgiveness schemes, but the general deferral is not necessary for many borrowers, education policy experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation. Trump issued four executive orders Saturday after negotiations failed for another stimulus package,White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told reporters after meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week. Left-leaning organizations criticized Trump for not going far enough to help borrowers. Center for American Progress President and CEO Neera Tanden criticized the president’s executive orders, noting the extension on student loan payments didn’t help enough people, according to a statement. “The order on student loans leaves out up to 9 million borrowers and does nothing to extend the critical benefits for essential workers, such as teachers and nurses, provided under the CARES Act,” Tanden said in the statement. Approximately 9 million borrowers who owe back loans from private lenders and colleges are not covered under the executive order, Politico reported. Trump signed the executive order Saturday suspending federal student loan payments until Dec.31 along with three other measures meant to help Americans struggling with the economic impacts of the pandemic, the Daily Caller reported. More than 1.19 million Americans filed additional unemployment claims in the last week of July, according to the Department of Labor. Both Republicans and Democrats criticized the orders, including Republican Nebraska Sen.
