Democratic lawmakers are expressing their discontent after the Supreme Court invalidated President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, which would have cost taxpayers an estimated $400 billion. The court’s 6-3 decision determined that current law does not grant the secretary of education the authority to unilaterally eliminate debt without congressional approval.
Representative Cori Bush of Missouri, the state that initiated the lawsuit against the administration, criticized the high court’s ruling, referring to it as “harmful” and “the result of a biased Supreme Court.” She further accused the conservative justices of prioritizing personal gain and benefiting their wealthy associates over providing legitimate student debt relief to millions of borrowers.
Notably, Bush claimed that Biden’s plan was entirely legal and questioned the legitimacy of Missouri’s ability to bring the case. She also called for expanding the Supreme Court as a response to this decision.
In line with Bush’s remarks, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer from New York criticized the court’s decision, characterizing it as “disappointing and cruel.” Schumer highlighted the hypocrisy he sees in justices accepting extravagant gifts while failing to assist Americans burdened with student loan debt. He accused the court of favoring powerful, moneyed interests instead of prioritizing the needs of the people.
The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice John Roberts, stated that Biden’s plan would have canceled approximately $430 billion in federal student loan balances, completely erasing debt for 20 million borrowers and reducing the median amount owed by the remaining 23 million from $29,400 to $13,600. Roberts emphasized that the lawsuit brought by six states argued that the relief plan was not authorized under the HEROES Act, and the court agreed with this contention.
Biden’s initiative, which involved the government providing debt relief of up to $10,000 (up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients) to individuals earning less than $125,000 annually, faced legal challenges, leading to its suspension before the court’s decision. The program was estimated to cost over $400 billion.
In recent months, conservative justices on the court have faced criticism from Democrats for accepting luxury vacations paid for by their wealthy acquaintances, despite claims that they adhered to court ethics rules. Such matters have fueled calls for stricter regulations.
Chief Justice Roberts’ opinion referenced former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who clarified that although the President has the power to postpone or delay debt, forgiveness ultimately requires action from Congress.
President Biden is expected to address the court’s ruling at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.
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