Capping Potential

Did you know student loans are now capped? Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed on July 4, 2025, the rules for federal student loans change dramatically starting July 1, 2026: * Lifetime borrowing limit on all federal student loans, excluding Parent PLUS Loans received as a student, to $257,500 ($57,500 as an undergraduate student). * Graduate students: $20,500/year, $100,000 total * Professional programs (law, medicine, etc.): $50,000/year, $200,000 total * Parent PLUS: $20,000 per child, $65,000 total It sounds “responsible,” but it doesn’t lower tuition; it just limits who can afford to keep learning. If you’re wealthy, nothing changes, but if you’re first-gen, working-class, or already stretched thin, these caps hit hard. They’ll stop degrees, not debt. Education is infrastructure. It keeps the middle class alive, and we need policies that open doors, not close them. What We Can Do: * Push to cap tuition, not students’ futures: Support legislation that limits tuition increases at public universities. * Expand Pell Grants and need-based aid: Contact your representatives and urge them to increase federal and state grants so students borrow less. * Reinvest in public colleges: Advocate for stronger funding to make state schools affordable again — the way we fund roads or defense. * Protect borrowers: Demand robust income-based repayment options and loan forgiveness for educators, healthcare workers, and public servants. * Stay informed and organize: Join local education coalitions, share verified information, and help others understand how these changes will affect them. This bill doesn’t fix student debt; it weaponizes it. Let’s organize, speak out, and protect opportunity for the next generation. — Michelle Kang, Democratic Candidate for Georgia State House District 99 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michellekangforga.substack.com