White House threatens to veto GOP measure blocking student loan debt relief program

The White House on Monday threatened to veto a Republican-led bill in the House that would block the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness program.

In a Statement of Administration Policy, the White House expressed its concerns with a House resolution to disapprove of the student loan forgiveness plan, which provides up to $20,000 in relief for millions of eligible student loan borrowers.

“This resolution is an unprecedented attempt to undercut our historic economic recovery and would deprive more than 40 million hard-working Americans of much-needed student debt relief,” the administration said in a statement, adding that President Biden would veto the measure if it came to his desk.

The White House further warned that overturning the student loan relief program would disproportionately hurt middle class Americans, noting that roughly 90 percent of the student debt relief is expected to go to individuals earning less than $75,000 per year.

“Americans should be able to have a little more breathing room as they recover from the economic strains associated with the COVID-19 pandemic,” the White House said.

The House is expected to vote this week on the resolution, and it is expected to pass with Republican votes. It faces a far less certain fate in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

The House resolution is the latest threat to Biden’s student loan forgiveness program, which was a signature policy decision that delivered on a major campaign promise. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the legality of the program in the coming months after a lawsuit was brought by Republican attorneys general.