EXCLUSIVE — Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) is introducing the “No Loan Forgiveness for Hamas Supporters Act,” which would revoke student loan forgiveness eligibility for those convicted of “an unlawful activity” on college campuses.
The bill will “prohibit any person convicted of an unlawful activity on or after October 7, 2023, on a college campus from being eligible for public service loan forgiveness.”
“Some students who have committed crimes in the name of Hamas remain eligible for Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness,” Ogles told the Washington Examiner. “That is unacceptable. The era of rewarding young people of ill repute and hatred for American principles must end. If you think terrorizing college campuses is a good way to repay the taxpayers that blessed you with an education, it’s time for a reality check.”
The new legislation is aimed at student protesters who might have engaged in “unlawful activity” during recent nationwide protests that have only recently been quelled.
Unlawful activity is defined in the bill as “an act of physical violence” or “any other violation of State or Federal law.” More than 2,000 student protesters have been arrested at colleges during demonstrations against Israel’s treatment of Palestinians during its war against Hamas.
President Joe Biden’s administration recently tinkered with Public Service Loan Forgiveness, allowing an additional $5.2 billion in loan forgiveness for borrowers as part of its overarching student loan forgiveness initiative. If passed, Ogles’s bill could decrease the number of those eligible for the program slightly, though it is unlikely to pass the Democratic-controlled Senate if the House approves it.
PSLF is a program designed to reward public servants with loan forgiveness if they meet certain guidelines. It was introduced as part of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, which was signed into law by former President George W. Bush.
Ogles recently accused Biden of “blatantly buying votes with your taxpayer dollars,” in a post on X, citing the president’s new student-loan forgiveness, calling it “disgusting.”
Biden forgave more loans recently via income-driven repayment plans and the Saving on a Valuable Education Plan, bringing the total relief from Biden’s student debt actions to $167 billion.
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Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced similar legislation in the Senate that also targeted student protesters’ financial assistance. A spokesperson for Ogles said a difference from that legislation is that the bill focuses on PSLF specifically.
Ogles previously introduced other legislation targeting student protesters — one bill suggested sending anti-Israel protesters to Gaza if they committed a crime on a college campus.