‘Squad’ Member Seeks Loan Cancellation for $250k Student Debt
Jamaal Bowman: A Story of Student Debt and Advocacy
Meet Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a member of the “Squad” and a staunch advocate for the total cancellation of student debt. But did you know that if his wish came true, he would personally benefit from a quarter-of-a-million-dollar windfall?
Earlier this year, Bowman took to Twitter to urge the cancellation of “all” student debt, arguing that student borrowers have been “preyed upon” by the education system. He even called on President Joe Biden to wipe out $1.75 trillion in existing student loans, emphasizing that college education “should be free.”
However, some conflict of interest concerns have been raised regarding Bowman’s advocacy. It turns out that he himself carries a hefty student loan tab, amounting to $250,000 in federal student loans. This includes $220,000 for his own degrees and an additional $30,000 in loans for his children.
Bowman obtained his undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees from the University of New Haven, Mercy College, and Manhattanville College, respectively.
Despite his own debt, Bowman has used his personal experience to argue in favor of cancellation, highlighting that he is “one of the very few Black PhD holders in America” and had to take out thousands in student loans to achieve his educational goals.
It’s worth noting that Bowman’s call for wholesale cancellation of student loans goes beyond Biden’s proposal, which was struck down by the Supreme Court in June. Biden’s plan aimed to cancel up to $20,000 in federal loans for individuals making less than $125,000 a year.
However, this plan would likely not have provided relief to Bowman, considering his annual salary of $174,000 as a member of Congress and his wife’s income of $94,000 from her job in the New York City Department of Education.
Bowman is not alone in his support for complete cancellation. Other “Squad” members, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, who also carry student debt, have called for wiping out all student loans.
Despite the conflict of interest concerns, Bowman’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
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