Seven states led by the GOP are suing to stop President Biden’s plan to reduce or eliminate student loan debt for millions. They claim the Department of Education is trying to cancel a large amount of loans before the policy is officially approved.
The lawsuit, led by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, includes Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, North Dakota, and Ohio. It argues that Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is trying to forgive student loans secretly, even though courts have previously blocked similar efforts.
Bailey stated that this lawsuit challenges what he calls the Biden administration’s “third and weakest attempt” to cancel loans without informing Congress or the public. He expressed confidence that they will block this effort as they did with the previous attempts.
The new debt forgiveness plan has not yet been finalized and is expected to take effect this fall. However, the lawsuit claims the administration is trying to start forgiving debt prematurely, which they argue violates legal requirements.
The lawsuit also suggests that Cardona is trying to rush the rule to prevent states from challenging it once loans are forgiven. The Hill has reached out to the White House and the Department of Education for comments.