Red States Suing Biden Again
Seven Republican-led states have initiated a fresh legal battle against the Biden administration’s revised student loan forgiveness scheme, which is set to begin processing debt cancellations as early as this week. The states involved—Missouri, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio—have taken legal action to challenge this new approach by the Department of Education.
This lawsuit represents the latest Republican effort to impede President Joe Biden’s initiative to erase student loan debt—a prominent promise from his campaign. The Republican attorneys general filed the lawsuit in federal court in Georgia on Tuesday, targeting the new plan’s provisions which aim to provide relief to approximately 27.6 million borrowers.
The Biden administration’s revised plan is a response to the Supreme Court’s recent decision that invalidated the initial proposal. The original plan sought to cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debt per borrower, potentially benefiting up to 43 million individuals. However, the Supreme Court ruled against this broader approach, prompting the administration to craft a more limited and strategic plan focused on reducing monthly payments and expediting debt forgiveness for some borrowers.
The Republican lawsuit argues that the Department of Education’s move to begin implementing debt relief this week violates legal statutes. According to the suit, the Education Secretary is prohibited from enacting new rules until 60 days after their official publication. The lawsuit accuses Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona of attempting to sidestep legal requirements by acting under the radar.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, spearheading the lawsuit, expressed confidence that the courts will block the new plan. “They might be trying to see what they can get away with, but we are committed to opposing their efforts at every turn,” Bailey stated in a press release.
The Department of Education has yet to comment on the ongoing litigation but remains firm in its commitment to advocate for borrowers facing difficulties in repaying federal student loans.
