Recently, two district court judges partially blocked President Biden’s student debt relief program, known as the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan. The judges from Missouri and Kansas ruled that the program lacks clear authorization from Congress as required under the Higher Education Act. Judge John Ross of Missouri issued a preliminary injunction to prevent the Department of Education from forgiving loans under the program. Similarly, Judge Daniel Crabtree of Kansas prohibited the plan from fully launching on July 1. The judges’ decisions came after state attorneys general filed lawsuits, arguing that the SAVE Plan presents a “major question” of economic and political significance, which demands explicit congressional approval. Despite the government’s claim that the Higher Education Act authorizes the plan, both judges found the arguments insufficiently persuasive to demonstrate clear congressional authorization.
