'Excessive': Sen. Joe Manchin criticizes Biden student loan forgiveness plan as too much

WASHINGTON – Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said Tuesday that President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan goes too far and that there are other ways to help borrowers.

“I just thought that it was excessive. I just respectfully disagree on that,” Manchin told reporters Tuesday.

"When people were calling me from back in West Virginia, I would give them all the options they had that would reduce their loan by going to work in the federal government," he continued.

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Biden announced last month that he would cancel at least $10,000 in student loan debt for millions of borrowers, as well as $20,000 to Pell Grant recipients. The move came months before the midterm elections, where Democrats hope to energize young voters.

Biden had been under pressure from progressive groups to forgive up to $50,000, but fulfilled a campaign promise of forgiving at least $10,000.

Manchin is not the only Democrat to criticize the student loan forgiveness plan. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, said on CNN in August that forgiving student loans sends the "wrong message," and indicates that only student loan borrowers are facing challenges with the economy.

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"There’s a lot of people out there making 30, 40 grand a year that didn’t go to college. And they need help as well, which is why I’ve been proposing a tax cut for working people that will affect everybody," Ryan said.

Biden extended the student loan payment until Dec.31 for what he said would be the last time.

Biden's plan will limit what borrowers pay to no more than 5% of their discretionary income.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Student debt plan to forgive $10K in loans is exorbitant, Manchin says