WASHINGTON -- Minnesota members of Congress had mixed reactions Monday to the Department of Education's decision to forgive some former Corinthian College federal student loans.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the Department would discharge a broader swath of former Corinthian College students' debts. The school halted operations last year after years of state and federal probes into their operations, including charges that school officials falsified job placement rates and used unscrupulous marketing practices. Since 2010, about 350,000 students nationally took out about $3.6 billion in student aid to attend the school.

In Minnesota last year, when the school wound down operations, there were about 300 students enrolled at the Everest Institute in Eagan, as well as some online schools based in other states. At the school's height, there were roughly 800 Eagan students enrolled.

Duncan on Monday called on Congress to help craft laws so for-profit colleges don't get away with hurting students and taxpayers.

"To members of Congress: Students and taxpayers need action to strengthen accountability," Duncan said. "This has to be a wake up call to Congress ...They shouldn't want to stand behind guys where there is so much deception ... and waste of taxpayer dollars."

Rep. John Kline, the chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee, issued a joint statement with House Democrats saying he was pleased with the decision.

"We are pleased that the Department of Education will carefully review each claim and help qualified students receive the relief they may be entitled to. It is vitally important that we have a responsible process in place that is fair, transparent and adheres to the law," said the statement issued by Kline and Rep. Bobby Scott, a Democrat from Virginia. "We will remain in contact with the department throughout this process in order to ensure students, families and taxpayers are protected now and in the future."

Kline first came out for loan forgiveness a couple weeks ago in a Star Tribune story looking at campaign contributions and his role as head of the House education committee.

Rep. Keith Ellison, chair of the progressive caucus, said the Department of Education didn't go far enough.

"The Department of Education placed the burden of proof on individual students," Ellison said, in a statement. "Today's announcement is deeply disappointing."

Democratic Sen. Al Franken, who urged the Department to forgive Corinthian debt with 13 other senators earlier this year, said Monday he was pleased, but was going to continue to reach out to Corinthian students.

"The Department of Education did the right thing," Franken said, in a statement. "With student loan debt already such a critical issue for so many of our young people, we can't allow schools like Corinthian to take advantage of students."