Trailing only mortgages, student loans account for the second largest share of consumer debt in the United States. Student debt has more than doubled in the U.S. since 2010, and according to the Federal Reserve, Americans now collectively hold nearly $1.8 trillion in unpaid student loans. Among those burdened with student debt, the average balance is estimated to be around $40,500 — and for many, such debt could be a lifetime burden.
For most Democrats on Capitol Hill, as well as President Joe Biden, ballooning student loan debt represents a threat to financial security for millions of Americans. It may also signal looming risks in the financial sector. Similar to the housing bubble that contributed to the Great Recession, if delinquency rates rise, student loan asset-backed securities could trigger a systemic economic crisis.
Solutions to the problem have, so far, proved elusive. In July 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness program. In the wake of the 6-3 ruling, Biden launched the Saving on a Valuable Education plan, or SAVE, which sets caps on interest accrual and lowers monthly payments for eligible borrowers. (Here is a look at the most expensive colleges in America.)
According to the Biden administration, SAVE will cost taxpayers $156 billion over the next 10 years, but the Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will be closer to $230 billion. Citing opposition to deficit spending, among other grievances, House Republicans introduced H.J. Res. 88, a resolution to overturn the SAVE plan, and on Dec. 7, 2023, the measure passed the House by a 21 vote margin.
As is often the case, lawmakers largely voted down party lines. There were some notable exceptions, however, and had more Democratic lawmakers been present, or adopted the party position, the measure would not have made it out of the chamber.
Using voting record data from the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, 24/7 Wall St. identified the lawmakers who broke with party leadership on student debt relief. Our list includes all 36 House members who did not vote on the resolution, or who voted with the opposition party.
Among the 36 congressional representatives on this list, 24 are Democrats and 12 are Republicans. While the vast majority of these lawmakers did not vote on this issue, two voted against their party, and both were Democrats.
The resolution to overturn Biden’s student debt relief plan is now scheduled to move through the U.S. Senate. Of course, should H.J. Res. 88 make it out of the senate chamber, President Biden is widely expected to veto the legislation and keep the SAVE plan intact. (Here is a look at the most partisan issues in American politics.)
Rep. Gabe Amo; Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Ken Buck; Colorado’s 4th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Republican
- Party position: 208 House Republicans voted against student debt relief
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver; Missouri’s 5th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Angie Craig; Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. John R. Curtis; Utah’s 3rd Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Republican
- Party position: 208 House Republicans voted against student debt relief
Rep. Donald G. Davis; North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Monica De La Cruz; Texas’s 15th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Republican
- Party position: 208 House Republicans voted against student debt relief
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier; California’s 10th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Chuck Edwards; North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Republican
- Party position: 208 House Republicans voted against student debt relief
Rep. Veronica Escobar; Texas’s 16th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Lizzie Fletcher; Texas’s 7th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Sylvia R. Garcia; Texas’s 29th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Robert Garcia; California’s 42nd Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Jared F. Golden; Maine’s 2nd Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Voted against student debt relief
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Steven Horsford; Nevada’s 4th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Steny H. Hoyer; Maryland’s 5th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Jared Huffman; California’s 2nd Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee; Texas’s 18th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Sara Jacobs; California’s 51st Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove; California’s 37th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Susie Lee; Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez; New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Zoe Lofgren; California’s 18th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Kevin McCarthy; California’s 20th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Republican
- Party position: 208 House Republicans voted against student debt relief
Rep. Max L. Miller; Ohio’s 7th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Republican
- Party position: 208 House Republicans voted against student debt relief
Rep. Carol D. Miller; West Virginia’s 1st Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Republican
- Party position: 208 House Republicans voted against student debt relief
Rep. Gwen Moore; Wisconsin’s 4th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Ralph Norman; South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Republican
- Party position: 208 House Republicans voted against student debt relief
Rep. Ilhan Omar; Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez; Washington’s 3rd Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Voted against student debt relief
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Dean Phillips; Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Katie Porter; California’s 47th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Democratic
- Party position: 189 House Democrats voted for student debt relief
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers; Washington’s 5th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Republican
- Party position: 208 House Republicans voted against student debt relief
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar; Florida’s 27th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Republican
- Party position: 208 House Republicans voted against student debt relief
Rep. Victoria Spartz; Indiana’s 5th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Republican
- Party position: 208 House Republicans voted against student debt relief
Rep. Michael Waltz; Florida’s 6th Congressional District
- Position on student debt relief: Did not vote
- Party: Republican
- Party position: 208 House Republicans voted against student debt relief
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