(ReclaimingAmerica.net) – President Joe Biden’s controversial plan to forgive $400 billion in student debt, which could have impacted 26 million Americans, has been overturned by the United States Supreme Court, dealing a significant setback to his political objectives but huge savings for taxpayers who would’ve had to foot the bill.
The Court’s conservative majority, by a 6-3 decision, concluded the initiative constitutes an excessive extension of presidential authority and is unconstitutional, requiring the approval of Congress instead.
Biden’s proposal aimed to cancel $10,000 in debt for borrowers earning below $125,000, and up to $20,000 for Pell Grants recipients. Nevertheless, objections from six GOP-led states and two individual borrowers emerged, asserting that the president lacked the legal capacity to enact such a policy without congressional endorsement.
The Biden administration attempted to substantiate the student debt forgiveness scheme with the 2003 post-9/11 HEROES Act. This legislation permitted the US Education Department to forgo student debt during a national crisis. However, the Supreme Court majority asserted that the HEROES Act did not explicitly authorize the Education Secretary’s proposed plan.
Chief Justice John Roberts, writing the majority opinion, highlighted that the HEROES Act was not unanimously passed with this significant power in consideration. He commented that the proposed reallocation of $400 billion in costs to the American taxpayer, as per the plan, would require explicit congressional approval before an Education Secretary could significantly transform large portions of the American economy.
This decision follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that found race-based college admission, often referred to as “affirmative action,” unconstitutional, marking another hard blow to Biden and his supporters.
Biden voiced his frustration with the Supreme Court’s latest ruling, branding it “wrong” and “disappointing.” He defended his proposal, stating that it would have served as a much-needed boost for tens of millions of Americans struggling to rebound from the unique challenges of the pandemic. Moreover, he maintained that the student debt relief plan would have contributed positively to economic growth.
In his statement, Biden targeted the GOP, criticizing their alleged hypocrisy. He argued that Republican officials did not resist pandemic-related loans to businesses amounting to billions, yet they vehemently opposed providing relief to millions of hardworking Americans.
