Republican Senators are planning to introduce a resolution this week to overturn President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan. The debt relief program is currently tied up in the Supreme Court.
The Biden administration proposal promises to wipe out up to $20,000 of federal student loans to eligible borrowers.
Senators John Cornyn of Texas, Joni Ernst of Iowa and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said their Congressional Review Act dissolves the proposal because the White House overstepped its authority by not checking with Congress first. Thirty-five other senators have signed on to the resolution, which argues Biden doesn’t have the authority to do it on his own.
“President Biden’s student loan scheme does not ‘forgive’ debt, it just transfers the burden from those who willingly took out loans to those who never went to college, or sacrificed to pay their loans off,” said Sen. Cassidy in a statement.
While Biden would likely veto the measure if it passes both chambers, it would still force Democrats to weigh in on what they think about the loan forgiveness program. As some legislators face tight reelection races next year, they may not want to go on the record on this issue, but the resolution’s success or failure depends on some of their votes.
Nevada Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto says she is against the resolution.
“I’ll review the full text of the CRA when it is released, but like I said before, I disagree with President Biden’s executive action on student loans because it doesn’t address the root problems that make college unaffordable,” said Sen. Cortez Masto.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments last month on whether the student loan forgiveness program is constitutional. The high court would rule by the summer or sooner.
