Federal Judge Says Biden's Student Loan Forgiveness Plan is Illegal
Summary from the AllSides News Team
A federal judge ruled Thursday that President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan is illegal.
Key Quotes: In his decision, U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman of the Northern District of Texas wrote that "the HEROES Act—a law to provide loan assistance to military personnel defending our nation—does not provide the executive branch clear congressional authorization to create a $400 billion student loan forgiveness program. The Program is thus an unconstitutional exercise of Congress’s legislative power and must be vacated." He continued by saying that the plan is "either one of the largest delegations of legislative power to the executive branch, or one of the largest exercises of legislative power without congressional authority in the history of the United States." In response, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said "We will never stop fighting for hardworking Americans most in need—no matter how many roadblocks our opponents and special interests try to put in our way."
For Context: The program was already paused due to a separate legal challenge. In August, Biden announced a plan for borrowers earning less than $125,000 per year to have at least $10,000 of their federal student loan debt cancelled. The HEROES Act was one of the Biden administration's key justifications for proposing the relief plan. The Justice Department plans to appeal Pittman's ruling.
How the Media Covered It: The news was a top story from sources across the political spectrum Friday.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Federal court strikes down Biden’s student loan forgiveness programA federal judge in Texas has struck down President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, declaring it illegal.
The lawsuit was filed by a conservative group, the Job Creators Network Foundation, in October on behalf of two borrowers who did not qualify for debt relief.
Biden’s program was already on hold due a separate legal challenge.
The Biden administration has argued that Congress has given the secretary of education the power to broadly discharge student loan debt in a 2003 law known as the HEROES Act.
But the Texas federal judge found that...
From the Center
Federal Judge in Texas Strikes Down Biden Student-Loan Forgiveness ProgramA federal judge in Texas on Thursday struck down the Biden administration’s student-debt forgiveness plan, imperiling a key administration priority that would have canceled up to $20,000 in student loans for tens of millions of borrowers.
The Biden administration’s plan is an “unconstitutional exercise of Congress’s legislative power” that also failed to go through normal regulatory processes, Judge Mark Pittman of the Northern District of Texas wrote in a 26-page opinion.
“No one can plausibly deny that it is either one of the largest delegations of legislative power to the executive branch, or one of the...
From the Right
Federal Judge Strikes Down Biden Student-Loan ‘Forgiveness’A federal judge in Texas on Thursday blocked President Biden’s student-loan “forgiveness” plan in response to a lawsuit from the Job Creators Network Foundation (JCNF).
The conservative advocacy group filed a suit in October arguing that the Biden administration violated federal procedures by not allowing borrowers to provide public comment before the program was unveiled.
Judge Mark Pittman of the Northern District of Texas called the plan an “unconstitutional exercise of Congress’s legislative power” and noted the program failed to go through standard regulatory processes.
“No one can plausibly deny...
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