Student Loan Forgiveness Program Paused by Appeals Court

President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program is on hold until courts rule on the Republican opposition to the program. Borrowers are still able to apply for forgiveness through the application portal, studentaid.gov, but the disbursement process will not move forward until the freeze is ended.

Key Quotes: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre encouraged borrowers to carry on applying for forgiveness despite the freeze, stating, “we will continue to move full speed ahead in our preparations in compliance with this order. And the administration will continue to fight Republican officials suing to block our efforts to provide relief to working families.” Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, a leading force in the opposition, told Reuters that “it’s very important that the legal issues involving presidential power be analyzed by the court before transferring over $400 billion in debt to American taxpayers.”

For Context: The Biden Administration cites the 2003 Heroes Act as its legal justification for the forgiveness program. The dispute stems from the fact that the Heroes Act requires a national emergency for the President to have debt forgiveness power. The Biden Administration cites the COVID-19 pandemic as a qualifying emergency. This claim is in dispute.

How the Media Covered it: Most coverage across the board was uniform, with most quotations coming from the Press Secretary. Fox Business (Lean Right Bias), as well as all Fox branches, exclusively refer to the program as the “student loan handout.”