WASHINGTON–Credit union members who have certain federal student loans are likely to be affected by changes announced by the Department of Education.

The Trump administration said it is initiating several changes related to federal student loan forgiveness and repayment programs.

The DoE has issued a formal notice of its intent to initiate negotiated rulemaking, a process under federal law that allows officials to update or change regulations governing various federal student loan programs, Forbes reported.

According to the notice, the department will focus specifically on Public Service Loan Forgiveness,  Income-Contingent Repayment, and Pay As You Earn — “popular programs that offer student loan forgiveness to borrowers after years in repayment,” noted Forbes. 

Goal is to ‘Rightsize’

“This process will focus on how the Department can rightsize Title IV regulations that have driven up the cost of college and hindered innovation,” Acting Under Secretary James Bergeron said in a statement. “Not only will this rulemaking serve as an opportunity to identify and cut unnecessary red tape, but it will allow key stakeholders to offer suggestions to streamline and improve federal student aid programs.”

A number of groups are pushing back on the proposed changes and said they plan to take legal action in response.