Senate Republicans Vote Against Protections for Students Defrauded by For-Profit Colleges

Today, 42 Senate Republicans — including seven vulnerable incumbents — voted to keep in place a regulation that “makes it harder for defrauded students to have their education loans forgiven” pushed by for-profit college “savior” and GOP donor Secretary Betsy DeVos. 

Senators David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, Mitch McConnell, Steve Daines, Thom Tillis, Lindsey Graham, and John Cornyn all chose to put DeVos’ harmful agenda above students — many of whom are veterans — who were misled and swindled by for-profit colleges and are left with tens of thousands of dollars in debt for degrees they say “no one takes seriously.” 

Other vulnerable Republican incumbents voted to overturn the rule as an election-year attempt to paper over their records—Senators Cory Gardner and Joni Ernst’s votes to confirm DeVos; Senator Martha McSally’s vote against protections from predatory lenders for servicemembers and veterans; and Senator Susan Collins’ vote to advance DeVos’ nomination out of committee, vote against regulating for-profit colleges, and repeated votes against allowing students to refinance loans at lower rates.

• As of the end of 2019, nearly 300,000 defrauded students had submitted borrower defense claims to the Department of Education — with nearly 220,000 still pending.

• By the Department’s own estimate, just three percent of all student loans associated with fraudulent for-profit colleges will be forgiven under DeVos’ new rule.

• The rule also lets for-profit colleges off the hook for 99 percent of the total loan volume held by students who were ripped off by institutions that were found to have engaged in fraudulent practices — leaving students to pick up the tab.

“Republicans are adding insult to injury to the hundreds of thousands of students, including veterans, who were exploited and deceived by shady for-profit colleges and now may never see justice under the DeVos rule,” said Helen Kalla, DSCC spokesperson. “Once again, Republican senators are putting their donors and special interests over hardworking families, and voters will hold them accountable in November.”

Let’s take a closer look at why these seven vulnerable Republican incumbents put Betsy DeVos’ agenda over defrauded students in their states:

Senator Perdue (GA)

• Perdue voted to confirm Betsy DeVos to be secretary of education, praising her as someone who “will work tirelessly to improve our education system.”

• Perdue took $18,200 from the DeVos family for his 2014 campaign and has so far taken $28,000 from the DeVos family for his re-election this year.

Senator Loeffler (GA)

• Loeffler has pledged to be “100% supportive of” President Trump, so it’s no surprise that she’s backing the agenda of fellow “mega-donor” and private jet owner Betsy DeVos. 

Senator McConnell (KY)

• McConnell said that he knows DeVos “is committed to improving our education system so that every child…has a brighter future” before voting to confirm DeVos to be secretary of education. 

• The DeVos family is “among McConnell’s biggest donors,” funnelling $2.28 million to McConnell and his affiliated committees and super PACs.

Senator Daines (MT)

• Daines was the 50th and deciding vote to confirm Betsy DeVos to be secretary of education, leading the Billings Gazette editorial board to slam Daines as someone who’s “really not interested in anything more than the partisan politics.”

• An “ardent” supporter of DeVos, Daines sent her a congratulatory letter after her confirmation.

• Daines has taken nearly $75,000 from the DeVos family since 2013, including $5,200 from Betsy DeVos herself for his 2014 campaign.

Senator Tillis (NC)

• Tillis voted to confirm Betsy DeVos to be secretary of education, saying “I’m for her” despite “pleas” to his office to oppose her nomination and “dismissing” callers to his office “as not being ‘real’ constituents.”

• Prior to DeVos’ 2017 confirmation vote, Tillis had taken $70,000 from the DeVos family, and has taken $28,000 from her family so far for his 2020 re-election.

Senator Graham (SC)

• Graham voted to confirm Betsy DeVos to be secretary of education and hailed her as “an agent of change in our system.”

• Graham has taken $22,400 from the DeVos family so far for his 2020 re-election campaign.

Senator Cornyn (TX)

• Cornyn voted to confirm Betsy DeVos to be secretary of education, having “never wavered” in his support of her.

• Cornyn has taken $22,400 from the DeVos family so far for his 2020 campaign.

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