Joe Biden will be the 46th president of the United States, according to network projections made over the weekend. In Congress, Republican control of the Senate seems likely, though Democrats could secure a narrow majority if they sweep both of the Georgia runoff elections that will occur in January. Democrats are also expected to retain the House of Representatives.
With the composition of the government in 2021 mostly assured, the remaining question is what President Biden and Congress will do on policy—specifically, on higher education. The ever-expanding administrative state means Biden will have plenty of options to enact a higher education agenda unilaterally, but there is some scope for more comprehensive reforms involving Congress.
President Biden’s “pen and phone” are sure to get a workout during his first months in office. The most pressing question for the White House will be federal student loan payments. Congress suspended student loan payments back in March, and President Trump extended that suspension by executive action until the end of the year. As a result, most federal student borrowers are now in forbearance, and only 1% are in active repayment.