In a move aimed at courting young voters, President Joe Biden has announced the cancellation of an additional $1.2 billion in student loan debt for 35,000 Americans.
The latest debt forgiveness effort, which includes teachers, nurses, police officers, and first responders, brings the total number of borrowers who have benefited from Biden’s various relief actions to 4.76 million, the president said in a statement on Thursday.
The announcement came on the final day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where former President Donald Trump is set to accept the GOP nomination for the November election.
Biden vowed to “never stop working to make higher education affordable” despite repeated attempts by Republican officials to block his efforts.
Earlier this year, the president unveiled plans to reduce student loan debt for tens of millions of Americans as part of his strategy to win over younger voters.
This latest round of debt cancellation follows Biden’s previous moves to forgive loans owed by 160,000 people last month and 150,000 others earlier in the year.
The president’s efforts, however, have faced legal challenges. Last year, the conservative-leaning Supreme Court struck down the Democrat’s earlier proposals to cancel several hundred billion dollars of debt.
With the midterm elections looming, Biden’s student debt relief initiatives are seen as a crucial part of his campaign to energize young and progressive voters, who have expressed frustration over the rising cost of higher education.
As the president continues to navigate the complexities of student loan policy, his latest move to provide additional debt relief is likely to resonate with a key demographic that could play a pivotal role in the upcoming elections.
