On Thursday, six Republican-led states filed a lawsuit challenging President Joe Biden’s legal right to offer student loan forgiveness to millions of Americans. The lawsuit alleges that Biden used his executive privileges for political gain by fulfilling a campaign promise to cancel student debt.
The lawsuit was filed by representatives from Iowa, Arkansas, Kansas, South Carolina, Nebraska, and Missouri. Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said, “The Department of Education is mandated to collect the balance due on loans. And President Biden cannot override that authority.”
By utilizing a 2001 law that permits the president to absolve student loans during a national emergency, Biden was able to propel his new plan forward. The plan aims to lighten the load for borrowers by forgiving $10,000 of debt per person or $20,000 for low-income Pell Grant recipients.
Republican critics argue that Biden’s declaration of the end of the coronavirus pandemic invalidates his justification for using a 2001 law to forgive student loans.
