When President Joe Biden delivered his first State of the Union address on Tuesday night, there was one major issue notable by its absence: student loan debt.
On the campaign trail, Biden repeatedly pledged to cancel student loan debt—and it was highlighted as part of his administration’s plan to advance racial equity.
Americans collectively hold roughly $1.75 trillion in student loan debt. In December, the Biden administration extended a pause on student loan repayments through May 1, 2022, citing the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
While he did mention plans to tackle college affordability, including increasing the maximum Pell Grant award, the issue of the student debt crisis didn’t come up at all during Biden’s 62-minute speech.
