Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Keeps Student Debt While Prioritizing Expensive Elective Procedures
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Despite a generous six-figure congressional salary, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez still carries a significant student loan balance and now plans to spend tens of thousands on an elective egg-freezing procedure. Her financial choices raise questions about personal responsibility while she continues to push for taxpayer-funded student loan forgiveness.
Washington — House financial disclosures show that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) earns at least $174,000 annually, yet still carries a federal student loan balance between $15,001 and $50,000, unchanged from her previous filing. Despite her substantial income, Ocasio-Cortez has not paid off her student debt, instead choosing to allocate funds toward an elective egg-freezing procedure, which typically costs $10,000 to $20,000 per cycle, plus additional fees.
Representing the Bronx and Queens, Ocasio-Cortez announced her plans to undergo this costly fertility treatment, highlighting her personal priorities. She posted on social media: “This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life. And if people want to make assumptions about my decision, let them make those assumptions. I feel empowered to make this choice.”
Ocasio-Cortez attended Boston University, majoring in international relations and economics, and financed her education with student loans. Despite her high salary and personal spending choices, she continues to advocate for legislation that would cancel or reduce student debt, pushing for broader taxpayer-funded forgiveness measures.
Other members of the 2018 freshman class also report outstanding student loans, though some have managed to reduce their balances. The debate over student-loan forgiveness remains a contentious issue in Congress, especially after recent Supreme Court rulings that have limited the administration’s ability to enact sweeping forgiveness.
Ocasio-Cortez’s office did not respond to requests for comment about her loan balance or her planned fertility treatment.