Bernie Sanders Proposes Ban on Social Security Garnishment

Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the Stop Social Security Garnishment Act to prohibit the federal government from withholding Social Security retirement or disability benefits to recover unpaid student loan debt. Co-sponsored by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, the bill seeks to ensure seniors can afford food and healthcare by ending forced collections.

The proposal arrives as federal data shows 9.6 million borrowers aged 50 and older hold nearly $457 billion in outstanding loans, with approximately 9.5 million total borrowers currently in default. Sanders argued that "In the richest country in the history of the world, no senior should have their Social Security payments taken away from them to pay back student debt."

This legislative push follows a period of shifting federal policy. In January 2026, the Trump administration paused involuntary collections while the United States Department of Education worked to implement new repayment options under a recent tax law.