Congresswoman Bush Statement on Supreme Court Decision Against Student Debt Relief
Washington, D.C. (June 30, 2023) — Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), member of the House Judiciary Committee, released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court announced its 6-3 ruling striking down President Biden’s plan to provide student debt relief for millions nationwide:
“This harmful decision is the result of a biased Supreme Court — plain and simple. Three things were absolutely clear about this case from the start: first, President Biden’s plan is completely legal; second, Missouri should not have been able to bring this case because MOHELA would not be harmed by the President’s plan; and third, the Supreme Court’s extreme right-wing justices have repeatedly proven that they prioritize lining their own pockets with handouts from their billionaire-besties over straightforward and legal student debt relief for millions of borrowers.
“It remains evident that we cannot trust our nation’s highest court, which is why President Biden must keep the promise he made to cancel student debt for over 40 million people by pursuing one of the several alternative paths at his disposal to deliver debt relief.
“As payments are set to resume October 1st, millions of borrowers face financial uncertainty about the magnitude of their debt burden. We must preempt this looming student loan default crisis. The Biden Administration has an obligation to support borrowers in a seamless transition toward repayment. Inaction is not an option. My Democratic colleagues and I will continue to champion policies that tackle the rising costs of acquiring a higher education.
“Especially in the wealthiest country in the world, no one should go into debt to receive a higher education. Access to education is a fundamental human right, and that is why we must continue to fight to make college affordable, accessible, and equitable for all people at all income levels. That's why I am pushing for the cancellation of all federal student loan debt and to achieve universal access to higher education, including by passing the College for All Act. We will continue to press for the Supreme Court reform we desperately need. This fight is far from over.”
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