Array
Republicans are locked in a battle with Democrats for the House majority, raising questions about how lawmakers opposed to the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan might attack it if they gain control of the lower chamber
The race for the House remained too close to be called Thursday evening with dozens of races still to be called, though the GOP is favored to win a majority.
The student loan forgiveness program is already under assault in the courts, where at least six lawsuits are floating against the relief. And at least one lawsuit has seen some success, with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit putting a temporary pause on the forgiveness plan.
GOP lawmakers were quick to oppose the program when it was announced, arguing it wasn’t fair to individuals who paid off their student loan debt or taxpayers who never went to college.
“Biden’s debt transfer scam will make inflation even worse and does nothing to stop the runaway cost of college for most families,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said at the time. “Americans cannot afford Democrats’ radical agenda.”
In a statement to The Hill, Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.), the top Republican on the House Education and Labor Committee, said she expected legal challenges against the program to prevail.
“The Biden administration’s $400 billion wealth transfer is grossly unfair and Republicans will do everything we can to stop this abusive power grab, fix our broken student loan program, and lower the cost of college for students, families, and taxpayers,” she said.
But efforts to rein in the program are likely to be difficult for a GOP-led House, as experts say the party’s options to try to stop the effort are limited.
In the months leading up to Biden’s announcement unveiling the forgiveness program in August, Republicans in both chambers ramped up legislative attacks.
