MA Elected Officials React To Biden Student Loan Relief Plan

MASSACHUSETTS — A long-awaited student loan relief plan announced Wednesday by President Joe Biden has been widely hailed by Democratic politicians, including many prominent lawmakers from Massachusetts.

Biden's plan would forgive $10,000 in student loan debt for borrowers in Massachusetts making $125,000 or families earning $250,000 a year or less. Pell Grant borrowers would get up to $20,000 in relief.

Many Republicans in Congress immediately criticized the plan. There are no Republicans from Massachusetts in Congress, but prominent GOP members at the state level were largely silent on social media about the plan.

As of Wednesday afternoon, neither the state Republican party nor gubernatorial candidates Geoff Diehl or Chris Doughty had made statements either way about the plan. Gov. Charlie Baker, the state's top elected Republican, also hadn't shared feelings about the move.

Shrewsbury resident Jeffrey Sossa-Paquette, who is running as a Republican against U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Worcester, did criticize his opponent's support for the debt relief.

"1.8 million citizens in Massachusetts have food insecurities as reported by the Boston Globe
yet this twit thinks student debt is our top priority. Accountability is coming it’s time to retire," Sossa-Paquette commented on McGovern's tweet about the debt plan.

"A life-changing win for 43 million Americans in student loan debt who deserve an economy that works for them," McGovern tweeted after Biden's announcement. "Most Americans support this and President Biden is putting people over politics to rebuild America’s middle class. More work to do, but this is a day of hope and relief."

RELATED: Biden's Student Loan Debt Relief Plan: What It Means For MA

Many other local Democrats were loudly hailing the plan as a relief for middle class borrowers.

"Make no mistake: This is one of the biggest acts of consumer debt relief in American history, and it will directly help hard-working people who borrowed money to go to school because they didn’t come from a family that could write a big check," U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren tweeted.

"This is going to change and save lives," U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley tweeted.

"This action by the President relieves a significant burden saddling the household budgets of working- and middle-class Americans, and one that disproportionately affects borrowers of color who face an uphill and unequal challenge in debt repayment," U.S. Sen. Ed Markey said of the proposal.

"Forgiving up to $20,000 in student debt is huge for millions of Americans and their families struggling under the weight of their loans," U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan said.

"A major milestone in our work to lower costs for working families," U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark said.

Some Democrats didn't immediately take to social media to talk about the relief plan as of Wednesday afternoon, including U.S. Reps. Jake Auchincloss, D-Newton; Seth Moulton, D-Salem; Richard Neal, D-Pittsfield; and Bill Keating, D-Bourne.