Biden slashes student debt, Jesse Jackson retires and more on ‘The Hill with April Ryan’

Look out for new episodes every Thursday on theGrio.com and theGrio's social media platforms.

On this week’s edition of “The Hill With April Ryan,” theGrio’s Washington Bureau Chief and White House Correspondent April D. Ryan discusses the latest political news.  

On Capitol Hill, the Congressional Black Caucus is efforting to be heard by Senate Republicans for their disdain over two judicial nominees up for confirmation. CBC Chair, U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, gives theGrio the latest in a sit-down interview.

Moving on to the White House, Ryan breaks down the Biden administration’s latest action to waive $39 billion of student loan debt for 804,000 borrowers. The relief is provided under an income-driven repayment program that allows eligible borrowers to have their debt wiped clean after making monthly payments for up to 20 or 25 years. 

Meanwhile, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah Jones is calling for Historically Black Colleges and Universities to receive more financial resources. Following the Supreme Court’s ruling last month to restrict affirmative action in college admissions, some HBCUs are expecting to see a surge in admission applications. 

Jones, author of The 1619 Project and Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at Howard University, also drew a connection between her New York Times best-selling project and HBCUs.

Staying on the theme of education, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said a lack of proficiency for Black and brown students is a crisis that needs critical attention.

And in the civil rights community, a new leader has emerged in Rev. Freddie Haines of Texas. Haines was handpicked to replace the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., who announced his retirement as head of the Rainbow PUSH after decades of leadership. Jackson is suffering from the debilitating effects of Parkinson’s Disease.

As a political activist and eventual presidential candidate, Jackson has been an influential force in American politics, including serving as a member of former President Bill Clinton’s kitchen cabinet.

Watch to hear that and more on this week’s episode of “The Hill with April Ryan.” Look out for new episodes every Thursday on theGrio.com and theGrio’s social media platforms.

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