Student Debt Cancellation

Floor Speech

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Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning in solidarity with the millions of student loan borrowers across this Nation who slept a little easier last night knowing that essential student loan debt relief is on the way.

I am thinking of every person who has pulled me aside in community and dropped their eyes to the floor as they describe the financial burden and shame they were carrying, crushed by student debt--the teachers, the electricians, the nurses, and, indeed, even the grandparents, our elders, some 76 years old on fixed incomes whose benefits were garnished.

The coalition that rallied around our calls to cancel student debt is as broad and diverse as this Nation because so, too, are the families personally impacted by this economic justice issue.

We thank President Biden for taking action. We thank him for listening deeply and responding. With the stroke of a pen, he moved to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers, and this action is going to change and save lives.

In my home State of Massachusetts, the Department of Education reported yesterday that 813,000 student loan borrowers in Massachusetts stand to benefit from student debt cancellation.

I get emotional thinking about the profound impact this will have for our families, especially families that have been systemically denied the opportunity to own or build generational wealth. This is the type of transformative policy that sends ripples for generations. Student loan cancellation will change and save lives.

I thank my dedicated partners in this effort, Senator Warren and Senator Schumer; my colleagues in the House who have worked on this issue for years alongside me: Congresswoman Omar, Congresswoman Adams, Mr. Clyburn, Mr. Jones, and our partners in the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus, including Senator Warnock, Chairwoman Jayapal, Chairwoman Beatty, and Chairwoman Waters.

Our work to make education accessible and affordable across the Nation continues with urgency, and millions of families are going to start 2023 student loan debt-free thanks to the Biden-Harris administration. That is a beautiful thing. Recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month

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Ms. PRESSLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month.

The Massachusetts Seventh is one of the most diverse districts in the country due, in large part, to the rich Hispanic and Latinx communities who reside there: the Colombians, Salvadorans, and Ecuadorians in East Boston and Chelsea; the Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans in Jamaica Plain and the South End; and the Mexicans and Brazilians in Cambridge, Somerville, Everett, and beyond.

Many of these champions are on the front lines of fights that matter not just for their own community but for our very humanity. They are justice seekers and movement builders, and given the number of servicemen and -women and veterans, they are defenders of democracy and freedom.

Their sweat equity makes our country stronger and our policymaking more informed. I am proud to call them partners in the work to build a more just and equitable world because, Mr. Speaker, if the story of America is one of progress, then we owe it to the collective power, resilience, and collective advocacy of our Hispanic and Latinx siblings.

So to those in Massachusetts and across the country, and those on my dedicated staff now and in the past, from Aissa to Lona, to Luz, to Alana, to Ricardo, to Dagoberto, to Kayla, we thank you. This month and every month, we give you your flowers. Recognizing Alopecia Areata Awareness Month

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Ms. PRESSLEY. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize September as Alopecia Awareness Month.

Across the country, approximately 7 million people have alopecia, an autoimmune disease, which I live with, that attacks one's hair follicles.

People of all ages, genders, races, and from every walk of life are living with this condition. Thankfully, although this does not threaten our lives, it does not mean that it does not impact it.

Collectively, we are fighting for bold investments in skin disease research, comprehensive medical coverage, and meaningful public education to combat the stigma, discrimination, bullying, and, indeed, even depression and suicide ideation that so many of us experience.

Whether we are sharing a meal in the heart of the Massachusetts Seventh or sharing our stories, to someone who is newly diagnosed, we choose strength over shame and purpose over pain.

I can personally attest to the fortitude that defines our community each and every day. Although there is no cure, there is community. We work to create space so that all of us may show up in the world as our full and authentic selves.

This transformation that I live with is not one of my choosing, but it is one that I have learned to embrace unapologetically with the support of my loved ones, team, and broader community in my decision to not wear a wig, recognizing the power of that representation for the 7 million-strong alopecia community in this country.

That is why, this September, on the floor of the House of Representatives, I can affirm that alopecia is my superpower. I am free to be me. I commemorate Alopecia Areata Awareness Month.

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