(Washington, D.C.) – Congresswoman Erin Houchin (IN-09) is reacting to the U.S. Education Department’s announcement that it will delay the release of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
“The Department of Education has once again announced a delay in the rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It is another blunder of the Biden-Harris Administration, and a gut punch to students, families, and universities across the country,” Houchin said.
The application was originally scheduled to be released on October 1, but will now be available as late as December 1 for some students and their families.
“This delay comes on the four-year anniversary of the passage of the bipartisan FAFSA Simplification Act, a timeframe during which the Department had ample time to perfect the system. Instead, the Department was and continues to be hyper-focused on the illegal student loan bailout,” she said.
“This situation underscores the urgent need for legislative action, which is why I introduced the FAFSA Deadline Act earlier this Summer. This act would prevent such delays in the future, ensuring that students and families are not subjected to unnecessary burdens and uncertainty,” Houchin added. “It is imperative that the Department of Education fulfills its obligations in a timely and efficient manner, and be held accountable when they don’t.”