Student-loan borrowers will know ‘soon’ if the debt payment pause will be extended before it expires in 2 weeks, Biden’s Education Secretary says Education Sec. Miguel Cardona told CBS student-loan borrowers will know "soon" of a payment-pause extension. The pause is set to end in just over two weeks, after August 31. Cardona said in June that borrowers would have "ample notice" regarding an extension. In June, President Joe Biden''s Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said student-loan borrowers would have "ample notice" on a possible payment pause extension. Two months later — and with payments set to resume in just over two weeks — Cardona said borrowers will know "soon" if they have to restart paying off their debt. "While I don''t have an announcement here today, I will tell you that we''re having conversations daily with the White House and borrowers will know directly and soon from us when a decision is made," Cardona told CBS News on Tuesday morning. When asked about the reasons for the hold-up on the announcement, Cardona added that he "can''t get into the conversations we''re having daily, but I will tell you that from day one, the president''s been very clear about making sure we''re leading with students first.