Senator Warren Presses Education Secretary on Department's Relentless War on Students

Strategic Insights -

U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren is pushing for answers on various issues related to the Department of Education's (ED) actions, citing concerns from students, families, and education advocates. Senator Warren has released a critical response from Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, highlighting the need for transparency and action on key issues. The Department of Education has revealed a backlog of over 27,000 complaints from students and student loan borrowers, with only 1,122 complaints closed during May 2025.

Key Takeaways:

  • Senator Warren has pushed Secretary McMahon for clarity on issues such as restoring the income-driven repayment (IDR) payment counter, addressing the IDR backlog, and providing debt relief for eligible borrowers.
  • The ED's Office of the Ombudsman has a backlog of over 27,000 complaints, while only 1,122 complaints were closed in May 2025.
  • Senator Warren has announced that she will refer certain matters to the Government Accountability Office and the Education Department's Inspector General due to the Department's uncooperative response.
  • The Biden Administration has set in motion a plan to move the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority's (MOHELA's) federal student loan portfolio to other servicers, citing MOHELA's poor performance.
  • The ED has ruled out cutting its loan servicing budget by 60 percent, as reportedly recommended by DOGE.
  • Senator Warren has raised concerns about student loan servicer performance, including MOHELA's performance, and the state of Pell Grants.

Statistics:

  • The ED's Office of the Ombudsman has a backlog of over 27,000 complaints from students and student loan borrowers.
  • Only 1,122 complaints were closed in May 2025.
  • MOHELA's federal student loan portfolio will be moved to other servicers later this year.
  • The ED receives over 1.5 million complaints related to debt relief for eligible borrowers.

Sources:

  • Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren's press release on ED's response to Senator Warren's 60+ questions.
  • Department of Education's letter to Senator Warren, containing information about the ED's backlog of complaints and plans to move the MOHELA's federal student loan portfolio.
  • Senator Warren's follow-up letter to ED, pushing for answers on various issues related to the Department's actions.
  • Report by Senator Warren, highlighting the consequences of the Trump Administration's attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.