Roberts uses Pelosi’s words to support ending Biden’s student debt cancellation program.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Cites Pelosi to Strike Down Biden’s Student Debt Cancellation Program

In a landmark ruling, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts referenced former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s remarks to invalidate President Joe Biden’s student loan cancellation program. The Court, in a 6-3 decision, declared that the Biden administration lacked the authority to cancel $430 billion in student loans under the HEROES Act of 2003.

The program aimed to forgive $10,000 in student loan debt for individuals earning less than $125,000 or households with an income below $250,000. Additionally, Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate greater financial need, would have received an additional $10,000 in debt forgiveness. The administration estimated that 43 million people would have been eligible for relief, with 26 million already applying.

The Court highlighted a provision in the HEROES Act that grants the Secretary of Education the power to waive or student debt cancellation program.”>modify student financial assistance programs during times of war, military operations, or national emergencies. However, Chief Justice Roberts argued that this provision did not authorize the Secretary to completely rewrite the statute.

In striking down Biden’s misuse of executive power in forgiving student loans, the Court cites Nancy Pelosi:

“As then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi explained: ‘People think that the President of the United States has the power for debt forgiveness. He does not. He can…

— Kayleigh McEnany (@kayleighmcenany) June 30, 2023

Chief Justice Roberts further emphasized that President Biden’s statement declaring the end of the pandemic undermined the argument for using emergency powers to cancel student loans. He posed the question of whether the Secretary of Education could unilaterally abolish $430 billion in student loans when the pandemic was winding down.

Quoting the Supreme Court’s decision in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency, Roberts stated that such a monumental decision should rest with Congress or an agency acting under clear delegation from Congress.

Roberts then referenced Nancy Pelosi’s July 2021 remarks, where she clarified that the President does not possess the power to forgive student loan debt and that it must be an act of Congress.

“People think that the president of the United States has the power for [student loan] debt forgiveness. He does not.” — Nancy Pelosi (July 2021)pic.twitter.com/0iz8uQeKXG

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 30, 2023

In his majority opinion, Chief Justice Roberts concluded that the words “waive or modify” in the HEROES Act did not grant the Secretary of Education the power to completely rewrite the statute. He emphasized the need for clear congressional authorization before altering significant portions of the American economy.

The ruling was supported by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, arguing that the Education Secretary did have the authority to cancel student debt under the HEROES Act.

Despite her previous remarks, Nancy Pelosi criticized the Court’s decision, stating that it cruelly denied much-needed student debt relief to over 40 million Americans. She commended President Biden for his efforts to ease the burden of student loans and vowed to continue fighting for equity, justice, and opportunity.

The post Roberts Cites Pelosi To Justify Ending Biden’s Student Debt Cancellation Program appeared first on The Western Journal.

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