Research has shown that student loan debt hurts all of us by slowing our economy.

Families can’t buy new cars or homes or save for their children’s education. Workers can’t save for their retirement. Entrepreneurs aren’t able to start the small businesses that are the bedrock of new job creation.

The unfortunate reality of the student loan debt crisis is that borrowers who took on the personal responsibility to pay for it are not being treated fairly by the system. Millions of Americans are being denied the fair shot at the middle class that they earned with their hard work in getting an education.

Common sense reforms like allowing borrowers to refinance their student loans, just like you can with a home or auto loan have been introduced both here in Wisconsin and in Washington D.C. And more and more policymakers are getting on board with the need to reform the system to make sure education remains a path to the middle class.

We need to change the system and it’s clear that means changing the minds of policymakers.