Obama Calls to Help Student Borrowers
President Obama, on Tuesday, has issued a clarion call to all the Americans who are saddled by student debt, and has advised the student borrowers to fight for their rights. President Obama declared a combination of modest steps to bring a notoriously chaotic system into some order.
Obama revealed his "student aid bill of rights" in the front of a gymnasium full with around 10,000 students at Georgia Tech. He said that the nation should work together to bring about deeper changes to student loans.
He added that it should be done in such a way that not only every American should be able to afford college, but should also be able to afford the loan payments that kick in with a vengeance after their graduation.
Obama stated, "We're trying to tackle this problem from every angle. We want to make this experience more affordable, because you're not just investing in yourselves; you're investing in your nation".
According to the government estimates, the total US student debt has gone beyond $1.1 trillion, with around seven million Americans in default.
Obama has signed a presidential memorandum with policy tweaks that does not need any new legislation from Congress, which is a plus point according to the White House. He signed it in the Oval Office, before his brief visit to Atlanta.
The White House said that the main target of memo is the third parties like Navient, that contract with the government to collect on loans. Such companies will be required to inform the borrowers about the repayment options and have to inform them when they are delinquent.
Moreover, Obama has called for a website where in students can see all of their federal loans in one place, as a lot of students with multiple loans or debt face major problems. He has also asked for a website where borrowers can file the complaints.