To: Education Secretary Arne Duncan and President Donald Trump

Don't Garnish Social Security to Pay Student Loan Debt!

Americans used to be able to get a college degree without going into debt. But politicians dismantled that debt-free college system, and the burden is now so heavy that student loan debt follows people to their graves.

Today, over 700,000 people relying on Social Security are still paying their student loans. Over 160,000 Social Security beneficiaries have their monthly checks garnished to pay off federal student loans.

Until 1996, it was against the law to garnish Social Security benefits to pay debts, but that protection was stripped for debts owed to the federal government.

Why is this important?

We can fix this. It doesn't even require an act of Congress. The Department of Education can declare a moratorium on garnishing Social Security benefits for student debt. We can make this happen—and bring relief to the many Social Security recipients still struggling to repay their student loans.

Sponsored by:

Student Debt Crisis
AFL-CIO
AFT
AFSCME
Alliance for Retired Americans
Campaign for America's Future
Center for Global Policy Solutions
Common Cause
Courage Campaign
CREDO
Daily Kos
Democracy for America
Demos
Justice in Aging
People For the American Way
Project Springboard
RootsAction
Social Security Works
The Nation
The Other 98%
The Zero Hour