Blumenthal Statement on Senate Vote to Restore Debt Relief for Defrauded Students

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement after the Senate voted in favor of a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ new borrower defense rule. The rule would have withheld debt relief from students defrauded by for-profit colleges:

“The Senate’s action, reversing the mean spirited DeVos rule, protects defrauded student borrowers sinking in debt,” said Blumenthal. “President Trump should swiftly sign this measure, so we can restore this financial lifeline to students victimized by financial predators.”

The borrower defense rule was implemented by the Obama Administration to provide relief for students defrauded by their schools. Sec. DeVos’ new rule would have gutted these essential protections for defrauded student borrowers and made it almost impossible for future borrowers to get relief. The new rule would have also shielded for-profit colleges from accountability. The Senate voted in favor of the CRA, blocking the recently enacted regulation. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a version of this CRA in January. The CRA resolution now awaits President Trump’s signature.

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