Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) said Wednesday she is moving to force a House vote on legislation that would cap federal student loan interest rates at 2%, arguing that student debt has become “an American issue,” not a partisan one.
Speaking in a CNN interview with Wolf Blitzer alongside Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), which she later shared on X, Luna said her discharge petition would bring H.R. 2003, the Affordable Loans for Students Act, to the House floor. The bill would cap federal student loan interest rates at 2%.
A discharge petition is a procedural tool that allows lawmakers to force a vote on a bill if it gains support from a majority of House members, bypassing leadership control over floor scheduling.
“This is not a bailout,” Luna said. “This is about making sure Americans who are trying to build a better future don’t have to spend their whole lives trying to pay off their debts.”
Luna said borrowers should not spend their working lives in what she described as “indentured servitude” while repaying student debt.
Moskowitz said the bill, which is also co-sponsored by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), aims to reduce the burden of high interest rates that often prevent borrowers from paying down principal.
“It’s very hard to pay principal when you’re at 6%, 7%, 8%,” Moskowitz said. “You’re mostly paying interest.”
Relief Push Gains Urgency
The proposal comes as millions of federal student loan borrowers face mounting repayment pressure ahead of major policy changes set to begin July 1.
The U.S. Department of Education recently announced a temporary interest-rate reduction of up to 1% for eligible borrowers enrolled in auto pay through June 2028, offering limited relief as the Trump administration rolls out new repayment plans.
At the same time, more than 300,000 borrowers have already exited the now-defunct SAVE repayment plan, while millions remain in transition and may face higher monthly payments if they fail to switch to a new option.
Higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz previously estimated the typical SAVE borrower carries about $57,000 in debt at a 6.7% interest rate, highlighting the burden of current borrowing costs.
Default Risks Rise
Financial stress across the student loan system has continued to worsen.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York data showed delinquent student debt climbed to a record $171.4 billion in the first quarter of 2026. Separate data showed millions of borrowers remain delinquent or in default.
Earlier this month, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and more than 60 Democratic lawmakers urged the Trump administration to provide relief for eligible borrowers and delay collections on defaulted loans, warning that recent policy changes could push more Americans into financial distress.
Luna said reducing interest rates to 2% could provide immediate relief to roughly 42 million Americans with student loans, helping borrowers pay down balances faster without broader debt cancellation.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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