Tell Your Story to the House Education and Labor Committee

Borrower Defense to Repayment (DTR)
#1

Hi, There is a new committee in the House of Representatives that has oversight responsibilities over the Department of Education. We should make sure that the members of the committee hear our stories of being screwed over by for-profit colleges, and by lenders and servicers.

Do you live in a district covered by any of the following Representatives? If so, write your student debt story in this thread with as much details as you can and Debt Collective organizers will help make sure it gets to the committee member. These officials should be investigating Betsy Devos, and we can help make sure they have the ammunition they need to do so.

The committee:

Bobby Scott, Virginia, Chairman

Susan A. Davis, California
@Sanders (Do you know anyone in this district?)

Raúl M. Grijalva, Arizona

Joe Courtney, Connecticut
@PAMELA_HUNT Do you know anyone in this district?

Marcia L. Fudge, Ohio

Gregorio Sablan, Northern Mariana Islands

Frederica Wilson, Florida

Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon

Mark Takano, California
@Sanders help sprdad the word?

Alma Adams, North Carolina

Mark DeSaulnier, California

Donald Norcross, New Jersey
@Kim_Bailey - Do you know anyone in this district?

Raja Krishnamoorthi, Illinois
@Ami_Schneider - Do you know anyone in this district?

Adriano Espaillat, New York

Pramila Jayapal, Washington

Joseph D. Morelle, New York

Susan Wild, Pennsylvania

Josh Harder, California

Lucy McBath, Georgia

Kim Schrier, Washington

Lauren Underwood, Illinois
@Ami_Schneider- Do you know anyone?

Jahana Hayes, Connecticut
@PAMELA_HUNT

Donna Shalala, Florida

Andy Levin, Michigan

Ilhan Omar, Minnesota

David Trone, Maryland

Haley Stevens, Michigan

Susie Lee, Nevada

Joaquin Castro, Texas

Lori Trahan, Massachusetts
@Kim_Tran - Know anyone in this district?

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#2
#3
#4

I am in Raja’s district!! He also holds town halls every Thursday - can you help me with a game plan?? I would love to work on this as much as possible since my rep is on committee

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#5

Hi Ami. YAY! Raja needs to hear your story. I know you have already told it multiple times in multiple places. Do you want to pull another statement together addressed directly to him? I don’t think you have to say much more than you have said in other places. But this time we can ask your Rep to use his role on the committee to demand answers from DeVos? If you want post your story here or email me and we can work on it. And if you know anyone else in the district, we should get them to write their stories too. The DC will send a big batch of letters to the committee soon.

#6

I am just barely outside of CA 53rd district for Davis, but I know a few who ARE in her district. Can I still write to her and let her know even if I am in another district?

Just so happens I am in the very red 50th- the one that elected a criminal Duncan Hunter over Ammar Campa-Najjar, who I actually had discussion about student debt with and who “gets it”

#7

awesome! I will try to get to work on this tomorrow & I can totally keep it kind if shorter/condensed but I love the idea of asking him to question her. He seems to be pretty accessible too so he has staffers at town halls once a month on the first Thursday, in the morning. I feel like that is something I would like to take advantage of as well

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#8

Sanders, You should write if you want to, sure! If you can get a message to those folks you know who are in her district, that would be great too. Please post responses here so we can collect them.

#9

I started at Court Reporting Institue of Dallas in July of 1995. I was told the program is typically a 2 year program, although it may take some a little longer, since part of the program is a skill. In September-October of 1995, I was diagnosed with Hashimoti’s thyroiditis. I was put on various medications, including a beta blocker for my heart. I was seriously ill. I continued attending the year-round school to the best of my ability. I lived about 20 miles from the Dallas campus, so getting to school in Dallas traffic was a battle. Many mornings, I would have to pull over on the shoulder of 635 and sleep for 15 minutes or so, just to be able to keep driving. At lunch, I would often go to my car and sleep, as well, to be able attend afternoon classes. I was able to complete the academic portion of my degree around the 2 year time-frame, as I recall. However, I was suffering from major depression, as well as severe anxiety and was on medication for both, as well as thyroid medication, the heart medication and others I don’t recall. I ended up staying in school right around 5 years, trying to complete this 2 year program. All along, when I was ready to give up, I was encouraged by the school not to quit, since I had come so far. What I did not realize is that due to how ill I was, anxiety was working against me. The harder I tried, the less able I was to perform the skill portion of the requirements to graduate, and the sicker I was getting. It became a viscous cycle. My fellow students were leaving in droves. Some graduated, most quit. I found out many students there were getting grants, but I was married, so apparently did not qualify for a grant. I accumulated over $60k in debt, I believe it was. I was so discouraged and finally left school around the 5 year mark. I have paid on my loan off and on through the years, as I was able. I feel duped by the school. I should never have neen allowed to continue the program until I got through the health crisis. I am now 60 years old. It has been quite a battle. I have defaulted, gotten back in good standing, only to default again. Right now, I am paying $5/month. The debt has risen to over $100k now, and it mortifies me. The payment is supposed to be as much or more than my house payment, over $900/month. There is no way I can do it. I get panic striken knowing the deferrment or forbearance is running out. In looking on line, it looks like the school may even have closed its doors. This is a HUGE weight hanging over me. I would love to retire, but can see mo possible way with this debt. Do you think there is some way I can get help? I live in Texas, but not in the Texas rep’s district.

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#10

Hello Kim, Sorry this happened to you. There are millions of people in a similar situation. We are organizing for broad system change. Read about our members’ support for the College for All Act (which would cancel your debt) here: Debt Collective Members Join Members of Congress in Washington to Endorse the College for All Act | The Debt Collective

Since you say you feel duped by your school, you should consider filing a defense to repayment application.
https://tools.debtcollective.org/defense-to-repayment

Solidarity,
Ann

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#11

Hi Ann,

I just filed that, literally a few minutes ago. Are there 2 organizations I should file with, though? I have seen another one mentioned, so I’m a little confused. I’m really new to all of this.
Thanks for your help.

Kim

#12

Great. No, if you filed DTR, then you don’t need to do anything else.

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