During a Capitol Hill hearing, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona was questioned by House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Rep. Virginia Foxx about the possibility of taxpayers funding student loans for individuals involved in anti-Israel protests on college campuses.
Foxx demanded a commitment from Cardona that no students involved in harassment, disruption of classes, or law-breaking would receive student loan forgiveness. She emphasized the need to ensure campus safety and condemn any forms of hate or violence.
Cardona responded by expressing his belief that students who break the law and disrupt educational environments should be held accountable. He reiterated the importance of ensuring all students have access to their higher education classes and graduation.
The hearing also addressed the bungled rollout of the new federal student aid form (FAFSA), which has left millions of students in limbo awaiting financial aid offers. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) went through a significant overhaul intended to simplify and shorten the process, but blunders by the Education Department have made it more challenging than ever, delaying college decisions by months and raising concerns that hundreds of thousands of students may forgo college entirely.
The FAFSA rollout has faced bipartisan criticism in Congress and is currently under investigation. Richard Cordray, the federal student loan chief who oversaw the FAFSA update, recently announced he is stepping down at the end of June.
Foxx demanded that Cardona commit to finding a replacement for Cordray who has real-world experience leading a massive lending operation to protect taxpayer interests. She highlighted the significant financial implications of the department’s actions on student loan debt schemes, which could cost taxpayers up to $1 trillion.
Last week, House Republicans announced an investigation into federal funding for universities overrun by anti-Israel encampments, potentially violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.
