November 26, 2020

LAWT News Service

 

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following statement after student loan borrowers scored a victory in court this week against Education Secretary Betsy DeVos related to the Borrower Defense program.

“This week, student borrowers—and good sense — won. From the beginning of the Trump Administration, it was abundantly clear that Secretary DeVos had neither the experience nor the commitment to lead a Department of Education that puts students first. Secretary DeVos’ unwavering commitment to helping her corporate friends and harming students was so abhorrent that students had to resort to legal action for any support or relief, such as the ongoing Sweet v. DeVos case concerning the Borrower Defense program, which provides student loan relief for those who have been defrauded by an educational institution.

This week’s court victory in the Sweet case forces DeVos to cease all systematic and arbitrary denials of Borrower Defense applications and will benefit the roughly 170,000 student loan borrowers seeking relief through the program. More than that, it signals the beginning of the end of one of the worst Education Secretaries in United States history. 

“After being asked to present evidence to a Judge that she was not arbitrarily mass denying applications from students who claim to have been defrauded by educational institutions, including for-profit colleges, she presented none and instead, finally agreed to stop denying applications.

We must not forget, however, that from day one and without any remorse, Secretary DeVos made it her mission to undermine the Department and weaken our nation’s strong public education system. From failing to enforce the civil rights of all students under Title IX and increasing the inequities for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities, to proposing massive cuts to the Department of Education and accusing public school educators who marched and demanded facility improvements of “hurting students,” DeVos has shown herself to be an adversary to progress and justice.

“I will be watching carefully to ensure that in her last remaining months, Secretary DeVos acts in accordance with the court order and halts the denial of any applications from students seeking relief under the Borrower Defense program. I look forward to working with the Biden-Harris Administration to support the Borrower Defense program and any future policies that regulate for-profit colleges, support student borrowers, tackle the student-debt crisis, and improve educational outcomes for everyone.”

 

Category: Education