The Biden administration has tapped Richard Cordray, the former director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, to serve as the top official overseeing the federal government’s $1.6 trillion portfolio of student loans and array of financial aid programs, Politico reported. The selection of Cordray, who previously was attorney general of Ohio and ran unsuccessfully to be governor, is a major victory for progressives who have been calling on the Biden administration to take more aggressive action on student loans and for-profit colleges. Cordray’s appointment to lead the Education Department’s Office of Federal Student Aid was announced on Monday by Secretary Miguel Cardona, who praised his “strong track record as a dedicated public servant who can tackle big challenges and get results.”
