Rep. Bonamici Urges Veto Override to Reverse DeVos Borrower Defense Rule

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 76, the veto override. The Obama Administration wrote the original borrower defense rule to provide defrauded students with the debt relief they are entitled to under the Higher Education Act.

Rather than protect students, however, Secretary DeVos rewrote the rule to make it nearly impossible for students who are victimized by deceptive institutions to get the relief they deserve. That is not justice.

Five months ago, I urged my colleagues to support the resolution to reverse Secretary DeVos' harmful new Borrower Defense Rule. I was glad it passed with bipartisan support.

We are here today because the President has chosen to veto the resolution and stand with Secretary DeVos and unscrupulous institutions that cheated students. This is indefensible.

We are in a challenging time for our country, but this should not be hard. Let's stand with the victims of the deception – the students we represent across the country – not with unscrupulous institutions, not with Secretary DeVos, and not with Donald Trump.

I urge my colleagues to join together to override this veto.

Thank you, and I yield back the balance of my time.