Burr Criticizes Department of Education for Subverting Congress on Proposed Changes to Student Loan Relief Programs

Today, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Education announced its notice of proposed rulemaking on student loan relief programs:

 “It appears the Department of Education has forgotten that Congress writes the laws and the Department implements the laws as they are written. The Supreme Court has made it clear that, absent ‘clear congressional authorization,’ agencies are bound by the laws as Congress has written them, not as agencies wish to interpret them. Secretary Cardona does not have the legal authority to make these changes. Therefore, he should withdraw these proposed rules and instead ask Congress to act.”

Today, Senator Burr and Representative Virginia Foxx (NC-05), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Labor, also sent a letter to Secretary Cardona demanding an extension to the Department of Education’s comment period, which is set to expire on August 12, 2022.