Sanders Derides GOP for 'Squawking' About Debt Relief But Not Handouts to Billionaires

Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday mocked the GOP over its sustained meltdown in the wake of President Joe Biden's plan for student debt cancellation, noting that he never hears "any of these Republicans squawking when we give massive tax breaks to billionaires."

In response to GOP claims that forgiveness of $10,000 in student debt for most borrowers would be "unfair," the Vermont senator told ABC's George Stephanopoulos that "60% of the benefits go to people who are on Pell Grants" and "87% of the benefits go to people making $75,000 a year [or less]."

"I know it is shocking, George, to some Republicans that the government actually on occasion does something to benefit working families and low-income people," Sanders said. "I don't hear any of these Republicans squawking when we give massive tax breaks to billionaires, when we have an effective tax rate today such that the 1% have a lower effective tax rate than working people, where major corporations in a given year don't pay a nickel in federal taxes."

"That's OK," Sanders continued, deriding the GOP position, "but suddenly when we do something for working people, it is a terrible idea."

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The Education Department is planning to release the application for student debt relief in early October, and the White House is recommending that eligible borrowers--including Pell Grant recipients and other borrowers who make less than $125,000 a year--apply by November 15 to receive relief before the end of the year, when the loan repayment freeze is set to expire.