West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III expressed disapproval of President Biden’s student debt cancellation proposal, calling it “excessive” and asserting that borrowers should “earn it.”
Mr. Manchin said he had given his constituents career options on how to mitigate their debt, rather than having the federal government just write it off. He is the latest Democrat to break with Mr. Biden over the proposal, even as some on the Democratic left complained Mr. Biden’s plan did not go far enough.
Mr. Biden’s plan would forgive up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers earning less than $125,000 a year and $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients. The president also extended a current pause on payments on federal student loans until Dec. 31.
“I just thought that it was excessive. I just respectfully disagree on that,” Mr. Manchin told reporters on Tuesday.
The swing-vote centrist Democrat added people should pursue jobs in the federal government to reduce their debt amount.
“I just thought there was a better way to do it. You have to earn it,” Mr. Manchin said.
Other moderate Democrats, particularly those running in competitive races, have openly hit at Mr. Biden’s proposal, as inflation remains high.
Ohio Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, running in a tight Senate race against Republican J.D. Vance, said the move sent the wrong message.
“While there’s no doubt that a college education should be about opening opportunities, waiving debt for those already on a trajectory to financial security sends the wrong message to millions of Ohioans without a working degree just as hard to make ends meet,” Mr. Ryan said last month.
Colorado Sen. Michael Bennett, who is up for reelection, said a one-time debt cancellation won’t fix the bigger problems in the college financing market.
Rep. Jared Golden, a vulnerable Maine Democrat, called Mr. Biden’s agenda on student debt “out of touch” with the vast majority of Americans.
Meanwhile, liberal Democrats are stepping up calls for further action on eradicating student debt.
“Of course, we know that our work does not stop here. All of our economic policy decisions must be universal and rooted in racial, gender, and economic justice at the core,” said Rep. Cori Bush, Missouri Democrat.
• Mica Soellner can be reached at msoellner@washingtontimes.com.
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