Auditor General DePasquale Asks U.S. Education Department to Clarify Interest Waiver for Federal Student Loans
Auditor General DePasquale Asks U.S. Education Department to Clarify Interest Waiver for Federal Student Loans
HARRISBURG (March 17, 2020) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today called on the U.S. Department of Education to promptly clarify a White House promise to temporarily waive interest on federally-held student loans due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
"During this anxious time, borrowers deserve clear, prompt answers on how the federal government intends to handle this waiver," DePasquale said. "While the interest waiver will help temporarily, I believe the federal government should have gone a step further and suspended loan payments entirely."
DePasquale said his office has also reached out to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to determine whether it would be feasible for member universities to refund students for a portion of their room and board costs.
"With schools switching to online instruction, many students are asking whether they'll be refunded for housing and meals that they will not receive," DePasquale said. "This is not an unreasonable question, and I applaud the universities for acting promptly to prevent or slow the spread of COVID-19."
Learn more about the Department of the Auditor General online at www.PaAuditor.gov.
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