Biden's Latest Student Loan Cancellation Plan Moves Forward Amid Legal and Political Challenges

A federal appeals court has blocked the implementation of President Biden's student loan repayment plan, known as SAVE, which aimed to lower monthly payments for millions of borrowers. The ruling, issued by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, grants a motion from a group of Republican-led states seeking to invalidate the entire student loan forgiveness program. The court's order prohibits the administration from implementing any parts of the SAVE plan that were not already blocked by lower court rulings. The Biden administration has placed borrowers enrolled in the SAVE plan into interest-free forbearance while the case progresses through the legal system, but the ruling raises concerns for borrowers who had been relying on the program’s lower monthly payments. The decision follows a series of legal challenges to the SAVE plan, with rulings from lower courts in Kansas and Missouri previously blocking parts of the program.

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Sources: - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-appeals-court-blocks-all-biden-student-debt-relief-plan-2024-07-18/ - https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-biden-debt-relief-appeals-court-abd06890b12073bd39a08deef83a9158 - https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2024/07/18/biden-student-loan-repayment-plan-blocked/ - https://thehill.com/homenews/education/4780815-appeals-court-blocks-biden-student-loan-save-plan/ - https://www.npr.org/2024/07/19/g-s1-12173/federal-appeals-court-blocks-remainder-biden-student-debt-relief-plan

President Joe Biden announced on July 21, 2024, that he will not seek reelection, citing the best interests of the Democratic Party and the country. This decision follows growing pressure from within his party, particularly after a controversial debate performance raised concerns about his fitness for office. Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his preferred successor, encouraging unity among Democrats in the lead-up to the upcoming election. His announcement marks a significant moment in U.S. political history, as he becomes the first sitting president to drop out of a reelection campaign in decades.

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Sources: - https://www.bbc.com/serbian/lat/svet-69209033 - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-81-pulls-out-presidential-race-2024-07-21/ - https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6 - https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/21/politics/joe-biden-drops-out-election/index.html - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/21/joe-biden-drops-out/ - https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4784460-joe-biden-endorses-kamala-harris/ - https://www.npr.org/2024/07/21/nx-s1-5024253/biden-drops-out-2024-presidential-election - https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/7/21/biden-pulls-out-of-us-presidential-race - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/21/biden-drops-out-election-00169980 - https://www.foxnews.com/politics/kamala-harris-confirms-2024-presidential-bid-after-biden-drops-out

President Joe Biden has outlined a series of proposals aimed at reforming the U.S. Supreme Court, which include introducing 18-year term limits for justices, establishing an enforceable code of ethics, and amending presidential immunity laws. Highlighting concerns over 'extreme opinions' that he believes undermine public confidence in the court, Biden's proposals are unlikely to gain traction in a divided Congress. His remarks come amidst growing discontent over recent Supreme Court rulings that have significant implications for civil rights and executive accountability.

Image credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Sources: - https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw4yz3nw0vyo - https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-propose-supreme-court-term-limits-binding-code-conduct-2024-07-29/ - https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-reform-biden-harris-trump-ffd48f3a2023aeca841bb53c2147ef03 - https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/29/politics/biden-supreme-court-reform/index.html - https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4797658-vice-president-harris-backs-biden/ - https://www.npr.org/2024/07/29/nx-s1-5055094/biden-supreme-court - https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/7/29/us-president-joe-biden-unveils-proposals-to-reform-the-supreme-court - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/26/biden-supreme-court-reform-plans-00171493 - https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/growing-threat-behind-bidens-supreme-court-proposal