Or someone else would've made the bill. Its not like only Biden wanted to leverage younger generations future.

The push to make student loans "unforgivable" (non-dischargeable in bankruptcy) was not the result of a single person, but rather a multi-decade legislative effort driven by a federal advisory commission, congressional lawmakers, and intense lobbying by the financial and student loan industries.

1. The 1970s Commission and the 1976 Law

• The Commission on the Bankruptcy Laws of the United States: Formed by Congress in 1970 to review the bankruptcy system, the commission heard claims—often unproven—that recent college and professional graduates were taking out federal loans and immediately filing for bankruptcy to wipe them out before starting high-earning careers.

• The Higher Education Act Amendments of 1976: Influenced by these concerns, Congress amended the law to make government-backed student loans non-dischargeable for the first five years of repayment unless the borrower could prove "undue hardship".

• The 1978 Bankruptcy Code: Congress cemented and expanded this treatment into the U.S. Bankruptcy Code (Section 523(a)(8)), with strong backing from congressional committees and legislative compromise.

2. Tightening in the 1980s and 1990s

• The Bankruptcy Amendments of 1984: Congress broadened the restriction to include loans that were privately funded or guaranteed by non-profit entities.

• The 1990 Crime Bill / Budget Amendments: Congress extended the waiting period before a federal loan could potentially be discharged from five years to seven years.

• The Higher Education Amendments of 1998: Backed by industry interests and signed into law by President Bill Clinton, Congress eliminated the waiting period entirely. This meant student loans could no longer be discharged after waiting a set number of years; "undue hardship" became the sole, near-impossible standard.

3. Closing the Door on Private Loans in 2005

• The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA): Pushed heavily by credit card companies, banks, and the broader consumer lending/student loan industry (including major lenders like Sallie Mae), Congress extended the bankruptcy exception to private student loans as well.

• The Result: Private and federal student loans became virtually impossible to discharge in bankruptcy except under the strict, high-bar legal standard known as the Brunner test, making student debt uniquely permanent compared to almost every other form of consumer debt.