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Sen. Cotton: No Student Loan Bailouts for Convicted Campus Protesters
By Jeffrey Rodack
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has introduced a bill that would prevent any pro-Hamas protesters convicted of a crime stemming from their on-campus protests from having their student loans forgiven.
The "No Bailout for Campus Criminals Act" stipulates that an individual convicted of any offense under any federal or state law related to the individual's conduct at and during the course of a protest that occurs at an institution of higher education shall be ineligible for forgiveness, cancellation, waiver, or modification of certain Federal student loans."
"Americans who never went to college or responsibly paid off their debts shouldn't have to pay off other people's student loans," Cotton said in a statement Thursday. "They especially shouldn't have to pay off the loans of Hamas sympathizers shutting down and defacing campuses."
Co-sponsoring the proposed legislation are Republican Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Katie Britt of Alabama, Mike Crapo of Idaho, Ted Cruz of Texas, Steve Daines of Montana, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, Roger Marshall of Kansas, James Risch of Idaho, Mitt Romney of Utah, Marco Rubio of Florida, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, J.D. Vance of Ohio, and Roger Wicker of Mississippi.
Rep. Brandon Williams, R-N.Y., is leading companion legislation in the House.
"Violent campus protesters laughably demand respect, amnesty, and even takeout food," Williams said. "Our bicameral bill ensures that not one student protester convicted of criminal offenses is bailed out by student loan forgiveness. Not one dime of taxpayer money will fund these criminals."
Cotton has charged that "fanatical students" are behind campus takeovers.
During an interview with conservative radio host and podcaster Hugh Hewitt, Cotton also said students taking over college campuses across the country — Columbia University, most acutely — are "deeply troubled" but "easily detained" nonetheless, adding that university administrators need to respond, regain control, and "restore law and order."