1. United States
2. Letter

The student loan crisis has reached unsustainable levels, trapping millions of Americans in crippling debt that hinders their ability to build wealth and fully participate in the economy. While recent efforts to reform repayment plans and provide forgiveness are commendable, legal challenges now threaten to undermine this progress. Critically, the SAVE plan's lower payments, interest protections, and shortened forgiveness timelines are at risk, potentially impacting over 8 million borrowers currently enrolled. Even more concerningly, the courts' rationale could jeopardize forgiveness under longstanding income-driven repayment plans like ICR and PAYE, disregarding the clear intent of decades-old legislation. Broader systemic reform is urgently needed to address the root causes of skyrocketing student debt burdens. Affordable, high-quality public education should be a right, not a privilege reserved only for the wealthy. A comprehensive solution must address rising tuition costs, predatory lending practices, and ensure that no student is forced to take on insurmountable debt for seeking higher education and economic mobility. Alleviating the nation's $1.6 trillion student debt burden is not just a moral imperative, but an economic necessity to unlock the potential of a generation shackled by debt.