Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Stop Colleges from Withholding School Transcripts

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Rep. Sherrill and Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Stop Colleges from Withholding School Transcripts because of Student Loan Payments


Washington, DC – Today, Reps. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Susie Lee (NV-03), Abby Finkenauer (IA-01), Frederica Wilson (FL-24), and Rodney Davis (IL-13) introduced the bipartisan Protecting Access to Student Transcripts (PAST) Act to prevent higher education institutions from withholding transcripts from students who have defaulted on their student loans. A college transcript is often necessary to find a good-paying job, apply for graduate school, or transfer schools credits, leaving many of these students with few options to pay off their debt and start their careers after school.

“Withholding transcripts from students when they default on their loans can create a real and potentially insurmountable barrier to a secure economic future,” said Congresswoman Sherrill. “The burden of student loan debt weighs heavily on both students and families across New Jersey. I am proud to introduce a bipartisan and commonsense bill that will increase protections for students and help to break the cycle of student loan debt.”

“The last thing a student drowning in debt needs is to have their transcript withheld, making it that much harder to get a good-paying job to pay off the student loans they accrued in the first place,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. “Millions of students are already buried under a $1.4 trillion mountain of debt, and we should be doing everything we can to help them start life their life after school off on the right foot. The PAST Act will do exactly that by helping students succeed and make a living without their student debt weighing them down.”

“I’m proud to help introduce this bipartisan, common-sense solution and provide relief to hardworking Iowans,” said Congresswoman Finkenauer. “Many Iowans are one unexpected expense away from missing their student loan payment. They are doing the right thing and trying to get a good job to responsibly make their payments. We need to be making it easier—not harder—for them to do that.”

Read more: https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/rep-sherrill-bipartisan-group-lawmakers-introduce-bill-stop-colleges-withholding-school-transcripts-student-loan-payments/