Sanders Bill Would Shield Social Security From Student Loan Garnishment
Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced legislation Monday to block the federal government from garnishing Social Security benefits over unpaid student loans.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., introduced legislation Monday that would bar the federal government from seizing Social Security payments to recover unpaid student loan debt, a practice that has drawn fierce criticism from advocates for older and disabled Americans.
The proposal targets a legal mechanism that allows federal agencies to withhold a portion of Social Security checks from borrowers who have defaulted on federal student loans. Critics argue the practice disproportionately harms retirees and people with disabilities who rely on those benefits as their primary or sole source of income.
Read more UNIFIL Says Israeli Flags on Lebanon Road Break UN Resolution →
Sanders' bill arrives at a moment of heightened scrutiny over student loan collections. The Biden-era pause on federal student loan collections has ended, and millions of borrowers are once again at risk of default consequences — including wage garnishment, tax refund seizures, and, for some, reductions to their Social Security income.
The Vermont independent has long championed aggressive student debt relief, and this latest push fits squarely within that broader legislative agenda. Whether the bill advances in the current Congress remains uncertain, given divided priorities on Capitol Hill, but the proposal is expected to energize progressive advocacy groups focused on protecting senior borrowers.
Continue reading at US Top News and Analysis.
