The House of Representatives dealt a major blow to President Biden’s vote-buying student loan forgiveness plan by voting to overturn it.
The resolution, which expresses strong disapproval of Biden’s plan, passed with a vote of 218-203, seeks to speed up the process and put an end to the proposal through legislation, Fox News reports.
Karine Jean-Pierre again nonsensically compares Biden's unilateral student loan debt bailout to the Paycheck Protection Program — which was passed by Congress pic.twitter.com/lAEQY5E7Jb
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 24, 2023
Republicans unanimously opposed the plan, while only two Democrats broke ranks to join them.
During the debate, Democrats defended the ill-conceived plan, claiming that ending it would harm around 13 percent of Americans eligible for loan forgiveness. Representative Mark Takano of California accused Republicans of hurting students and dividing the country.
“At a time when students need relief the most, Republicans are working to upend student loan forgiveness that started under Trump and now continues under President Biden for more than 40 million borrowers,” said Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif.
“Why for the love of God do Republicans want to continue to punch down on America’s students and divide our country?” he asked. “The Biden administration’s student debt relief plan is not a bailout, it is a lifeline, and I implore my Republican colleagues in Congress to speak with borrowers in their own districts about this very issue.”
Republicans argued that Biden lacks the authority to even wipe out billions in student debt. Representative Bob Good of Virginia highlighted Biden’s own admission on CNN that he doesn’t have the power to do it.
President Biden doesn’t have the authority to “forgive” student loans. The catch with his free college agenda is that American taxpayers will be forced to pay off the debts of others. It's time to overturn his scheme. pic.twitter.com/yQCYRH56YJ
— Congressman Bob Good (@RepBobGood) May 24, 2023
Democrats conveniently ignored this fact.
Representative Virginia Foxx of North Carolina pointed out that Biden’s plan primarily benefits the wealthy, contradicting the Democrats’ supposedly progressive values.
She emphasized that most of the relief would go to top earners, while those in lower income brackets would bear the burden.
“If we legislated using logic that you bring … women & Black folks wouldn't have the right to vote because it would be unfair to those who never got to vote before them.”
— Rep. Frost (D-FL) on Republicans saying Biden student loan plan is unfair to those who paid their debt pic.twitter.com/KthKQwN5Z2
— The Recount (@therecount) May 24, 2023
Biden’s promise to cancel up to $10,000 in student loans for those earning less than $125,000, along with additional aid for Pell Grant recipients, faced legal challenges off the bat. A court injunction halted the program, which would have cost the government over $400 billion.
Representative Good’s resolution, drafted under the Congressional Review Act, shows Congress’s commitment to stopping this risky policy.