Federal appeals court blocks Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan
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The Justice Department has moved to block President Obama’s plan to forgive student debt, arguing the program would be unconstitutional.
The order, which is expected to be upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, would block the president from making the plan a part of his re-election campaign. (Reuters)
The Justice Department has moved to block President Obama’s plan to forgive student debt, arguing the program would be unconstitutional.
The order, which is expected to be upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, would block the president from making the plan a part of his re-election campaign. (Reuters)
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department on Thursday moved to block President Barack Obama’s plan to forgive student debt, arguing that it would be unconstitutional.
A three-judge panel from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to hear arguments in March on whether the administration’s plan, which would forgive some $50,000 of student debt for a family of four, violates federal law and is, in effect, a tax.
The department’s move “is a direct attack on the president’s signature piece of legislation,” Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement. “Obama’s student debt cancellation will be one of the most important issues during his reelection campaign. This order is a dangerous escalation of the administration’s attacks on free speech and academic freedom.”
The White House defended Obama’s plan and said the courts didn’t have jurisdiction to overturn his actions.
“The president has the authority and the constitutional responsibilities to enforce laws and issue regulations that protect the integrity and safety of our financial system,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said. “If the president were concerned about this issue – and he is – then he would have already implemented it through executive action.”
Obama unveiled the plan in a speech in Chicago on Feb. 15. It would cancel up to $50,000 of student loan debt for an individual or a family of four. He is also seeking to extend tax credits for graduate students to help them repay their loans as well.
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