WASHINGTON — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court arguments in challenges to President Biden’s executive order canceling student debt:
“When President Biden issued his executive order to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt this past summer, he responded to calls from the Progressive Caucus, the Black Caucus, the Hispanic Caucus, and millions of borrowers and advocates across the country. He moved to relieve the burden of today’s high cost of living on the 97 percent of student loan borrowers who are low- and middle-income, with 40 percent of borrowers never having been able to finish their degree. He advanced economic justice with an action that would help close the racial wealth gap by entirely eliminating the student debt of one in four Black borrowers and almost half of Latino borrowers. But because of callous, politically motivated lawsuits by Republicans across the country, none of that desperately needed relief has actually gone out the door.
“During today’s arguments, it was abundantly clear that the President has the legal authority to cancel student debt. Any finding to the contrary would be just the latest assault of an extremist right-wing activist Supreme Court on everyday Americans. We hope that the justices will follow the facts, rather than any political agenda, and rule in favor of the President’s order to deliver student loan forgiveness once and for all.”
