Biden Outlines Next Steps for Student Debt Cancellation and Repayment Plans
Hugh T. Ferguson
July 3, 2023
Despite a fatal blow from the United States Supreme Court, President Joe Biden doubled down on his efforts to carry out his student loan debt cancellation program on Friday and announced that the Department of Education (ED) would instead pursue implementing the plan through the negotiated rulemaking process.
The change in tactics comes on the heels of the United States Supreme Court’s decision to block the program after determining that the White House lacked the authority to implement it through the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students (HEROES) Act of 2003.
“I’m announcing a new path to provide student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible, as quickly as possible, grounded in the Higher Education Act,” Biden said on Friday afternoon. “Just moments ago, Secretary Cardona took the first official step to initiate this new approach. We aren’t wasting any time.”
