Republicans are considering their options, including filing numerous lawsuits against the president, to prevent President Joe Biden's plan to cancel student debt from taking effect.
Republican state attorneys general, including those from Missouri, Texas, Arizona, and Missouri, have gathered in private to discuss a plan that might involve filing numerous lawsuits in various federal courts around the nation, according to the Washington Post.
Republicans Ready Lawsuits Against Joe Biden
Additionally, conservative organizations like the Job Creators Network and the Heritage Foundation are considering their options. However, no lawsuits have been brought yet as lawyers consider how to best combat Biden's use of his authority to erase millions owed to the federal government.
The Bernie Marcus-founded Job Creators Network announced that it is assembling a legal team and consulting with advisers on a lawsuit. Finding someone who has legal "standing" to dispute Biden's decision in court may be challenging.
Taxpayers do not have the legal right to sue the government, according to a previous Supreme Court decision, so no one may file a lawsuit over it. Additionally, it's unlikely that any borrowers who have already repaid their debts and are therefore ineligible for the gift will have standing.
Additionally, since the student loan forgiveness program is a federal one and not one that affects state governments' resources or authority, it is believed that they lack standing. Courts are unlikely to find that the typical taxpayer has the legal authority to file a case.
One of the chambers of Congress might attempt to challenge the administration because Biden's choice exceeds its authority over the country's finances. However, for that to happen, Republicans would need to take back the House or the Senate in the election in November.
One of the most vocal opponents of Biden's decision to cancel some student loans, Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, claimed in a radio appearance on Wednesday that it is unclear who can sue. He asserted that debt forgiveness could cause universities to boost tuition, unfairly subjecting students to greater expenses. He claimed that a current college student could file a fake lawsuit.
Last week, President Joe Biden said that his administration will forgive $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 annually and $250,000 for joint filers. Borrowers of Pell Grants would be forgiven $20,000.
According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, the move may end up costing US taxpayers upwards of $500 billion over the following ten years. The only option to halt executive action is a litigation, as per Daily Mail.
Lawsuits May Raise Broader Struggle for Biden on Economic Authority
The potential lawsuit also creates the possibility of a more extensive, precedent-setting legal battle over the extent of the president's economic power. Such a case might be brought before the Supreme Court, bringing it back into the forefront after it enraged Democrats by eliminating abortion protections and restricting the EPA's ability to address climate change.
The Biden administration has consistently insisted that its approach is legitimate. In a 25-page letter published last week, the Justice Department defended debt cancellation as reasonable under a 2003 statute that gave the executive branch extensive authority to restructure student loan programs. After the terrorist events of September 11, 2001, Congress passed a statute granting the president the power to waive student loan debt in the event of a national emergency, which according to the White House includes the ongoing pandemic.
Last week, President Joe Biden emphasized to reporters that he was utilizing the same authority that the Trump administration had used to prolong a halt on student loan payments earlier in the pandemic. Bharat Ramamurti is the deputy director of the White House National Economic Council.
The debt forgiveness plan has been criticized by conservatives for being fiscally unwise and unfair to the millions of Americans who never went to college or have already repaid their student loans. Republicans have argued that the 2003 statute was never designed to give the executive branch such sweeping, unilateral authority and that the proposal is therefore illegitimate since it usurps spending authority granted to Congress.
Separately, some lawmakers have considered entering the fray themselves. The Florida Republican Representative Byron Donalds told The Washington Post that he is considering suing Joe Biden over the decision, The Washington Post via MSN reported.
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