President Biden announced the cancellation of an additional $1.2 billion in student loan debt for about 153,000 borrowers on Wednesday, his latest effort at student debt relief after the Supreme Court blocked a more sprawling plan last year.
Mr. Biden has now canceled $138 billion of student debt for almost 3.9 million borrowers through about two dozen executive actions, according to the White House.
Wednesday’s action comes as some Democrats have pleaded for Mr. Biden to highlight his success in relieving debt to galvanize crucial constituencies, including young voters and Black borrowers who disproportionately shoulder student loan debt.
Since the Supreme Court blocked Mr. Biden’s ambitious plan to cancel $400 billion in student debt for about 43 million borrowers, the White House has tapped into various smaller programs to forgive debt for specific groups.
The administration is making efforts to ensure Mr. Biden receives credit for the cancellation, with the affected borrowers set to receive an email from Mr. Biden on Wednesday informing them that their debt will be erased this week.
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Biden, Mr
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White