Following the announcement of President Biden’s latest tranche of student debt relief, Assembly Member Brian A. Cunningham (D-Brooklyn) issued the following statement:

“Student debt has saddled our communities for too long, depressing economic output and reinforcing the ever-persistent racial wealth gap. Eighty-six percent of Black students take out loans to pay for higher education and hold almost twice as much debt as their white peers four years after graduation.

Obtaining a college degree should not doom students to a lifetime of debt. It has become abundantly clear that we must provide more support to young people pursuing higher education, as well as expanded opportunities for diverse forms of continuing education including trade schools, apprenticeships, and professional certification. However, we cannot and must not abandon the millions of Americans who continue to struggle repaying student loans.

I am grateful for the tireless efforts of the Biden Administration to aid student borrowers despite bad-faith legal challenges and political opposition. I look forward to supporting their work to make quality, affordable education available to all.”