Ridiculously conveniently close to a major election, President Joe Biden announced last August that he intended to cancel a staggering $430 million in government-backed student loan debt.
Lower courts stepped in and blocked the asinine decision, thankfully. But that means the case has been elevated to the U.S. Supreme Court, and it's slated to hear arguments next week regarding the Biden administration's appeals against the lower court's decisions.
However, it doesn't appear as if the odds are with the Biden administration.
According to Reuters, the "major questions doctrine" will be the key to whether or not the decision to deploy the debt cancellation program is ever made.
And there are GOP judges that invalidate whatever he does. GOP Supreme Court made up the "major questions doctrine" so that it's nearly impossible for Biden to govern using executive action. The rules changed.
— PJA (@PJA9) February 25, 2023
The outlet noted:
"Its 6-3 conservative majority has employed this muscular judicial approach to invalidate major Biden policies deemed lacking clear congressional authorization."
Legal experts said Biden's student debt relief program, criticized by Republicans as an overreach of his authority, may be scrutinized by SCOTUS under the so-called major questions doctrine on Feb. 28 https://t.co/7lY8Du0RAd pic.twitter.com/6RlyeuNvoW
— Reuters Legal (@ReutersLegal) February 25, 2023
"It now looms over any big agency action that the administration wants to do," University of San Diego law professor Mila Sohoni said. "The doctrine allows courts a great deal of leeway to pick and choose which agency actions to strike down and which to sustain."
Republican critics of Biden's debt cancellation program argue the president lacks the authority to make the move. Republicans argue that the matter should be one that's decided by Congress and not the executive branch.
Several progressive lawmakers ramped up pressure on the Biden administration to keep the student loan debt cancellation program alive, and some want higher amounts of debt deleted.
"Student loan debt has denied millions of borrowers of the opportunity to buy a home, further their education, or afford health care. The Biden Admin's debt relief plan will change lives for generations to come.
@SCOTUS must affirm the legality of student loan debt cancellation," Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) tweeted.
Student loan debt has denied millions of borrowers of the opportunity to buy a home, further their education, or afford health care.
The Biden Admin's debt relief plan will change lives for generations to come. @SCOTUS must affirm the legality of student loan debt cancellation.
— Congresswoman Cori Bush (@RepCori) February 21, 2023
Only time will tell how the high court looks at the case, but it's not looking good for Democrats.