Mike Pont/WireImage/Getty Images 15 labor unions called on the DOE to fully cancel student debt for public service workers through executive action. They cited problems with the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, in which 98% of applicants were rejected. This follows Biden's request for the DOE to prepare a memo on his authority to cancel up to $50,000 in debt per person. Student-debt cancelation was a major theme of the 2020 presidential campaign, and the issue is only gaining momentum. On Thursday, 15 of the largest labor unions in the country called on Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to fully erase debt for borrowers who have worked in public service for more than a decade.