Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined her colleagues in urging U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to permanently fix the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form error that is preventing Nevada students with contributors, including parents and spouses, who do not have a Social Security number (SSN) from completing the new FAFSA form.
Specifically, the Senators are pushing the Education Department to provide a timeline to fix the form, clarify what resources they will make available, and adequately communicate with all impacted stakeholders, including students in underserved communities and rural areas. They also pushed for a comprehensive, easy-to-find Frequently Asked Question website link and document to help students with contributors who do not have an SSN navigate making updates to their applications.
“We remain concerned about the Department’s plan to address the ongoing error that does not allow for contributors without a Social Security Number (SSN) to complete the FAFSA application, the impact of this error, and how any remedies will be communicated in a culturally relevant manner to impacted students, institutions of higher education, and other student financial aid stakeholders,” wrote the Senators.
“We are concerned that without clear direction from the Department, these students will miss out on opportunities and not be able to finance their higher education,” continued the Senators. “…We urge the Department to assure students in any notices or outreach that their information and that of their contributor(s) shall be used only for the purposes of determining eligibility or administering aid.”
The letter is endorsed by organizations and stakeholders including the Presidents’ Alliance for Higher Education and Immigration, the Education Trust, the National Education Association (NEA), Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), ImmSchools, National College Attainment Network (NCAN), National Immigration Law Center (NILC), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP).
Sem. Padilla led the letter, and in addition to Cortez Masto is co-signed by Sens. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also signed the letter.
Full text of the letter is available HERE.
Senator Cortez Masto has stood up for Nevada’s students throughout her time in the Senate. Cortez Masto has introduced legislation to reform the Pell Grant and federal student loan system so that more Nevadans can access higher education without burdensome debt. Her legislation increases the amount of Pell Grants students can receive and targets student loan forgiveness to the low- and moderate-income Americans who will most benefit from this relief. Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported federal funding for Minority-Serving Institutions, including the four Hispanic-Serving Institutions in Nevada.
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