(CNN) The Biden administration is expanding the pause on student loan interest and collections to the more than a million borrowers who are in default on loans made by private lenders, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday. "This step particularly protects 800,000 borrowers who are at risk of having their tax refunds seized," Psaki said at a White House briefing. The pause on collections covers loans made as part of the Federal Family Education Loan Program. Biden has resisted calls from top congressional Democrats -- including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren -- to use his executive authority to forgive $50,000 in federal student loan debt per borrower. He's also indicated that he believes Congress should make changes through legislation, which would make them harder to undo, though Psaki said Tuesday that the White House is "still taking a closer look at our options on student loans."

Source: CNN March 30, 2021 18:11 UTC