Missouri political leaders reacted to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling rejecting the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan.
Republicans, as expected, applauded the decision; Democrats did not. U.S. Rep. Cori Bush said the fight isn’t over.
Here’s a roundup of those reactions:
U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Town and Country, said via Twitter: “Pres. Biden’s unconstitutional action to forgive student loan debt has finally been struck down by the Supreme Court. His reckless decision was nothing more than a taxpayer funded giveaway to higher income individuals that would have cost Americans 100s of billions of dollars. Thank you to Missouri for leading on this important issue and ensuring that hardworking Missourians are not paying for the debt of others.â€
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey: “As someone who paid for my education in blood, sweat, and tears in service to my nation, I am extremely pleased with the Court’s ruling today. The Court recognized that Joe Biden’s plan to force farmers, schoolteachers, and truckers to pay the student loan debts of Ivy League graduates was a gross abuse of power and a slap in the face to every working American who didn’t attend college or who paid off their debts. I’m proud to have led in the fight to halt Biden’s unconstitutional plan in its tracks and to protect everyday Americans from being saddled with the enormous cost of the plan.â€
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Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, a Republican who is running for governor in 2024, called the court’s decision a “major victory for Americans.â€
“I worked for everything I have earned and will not stand for any attempts to unlawfully redistribute Missourians’ hard-earned money,†Kehoe tweeted.
U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-ºüÀêÊÓƵ, issued a lengthy statement: “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.â€
U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, cheered the ruling. As Missouri attorney general last year, he was part of the six-state coalition that sued the Biden administration over the debt forgiveness.
“Joe Biden’s student loan bailout was nothing more than a thinly veiled political ploy on a shaky foundation to score cheap points,†Schmitt said. “The bailout was inherently unfair to those who responsibly paid off their debt or those who chose not to take on debt, and the truck driver or the waitress shouldn’t have to subsidize the theater degree of the tenured professor.â€
“The court found that the Biden administration had absolutely no authority to wipe away billions in debt,†he said. “When I was Missouri’s attorney general, I filed this critical lawsuit — I’m pleased to see the Supreme Court side with the plaintiff states and strike down Biden’s student loan debt bailout.â€
In a brief comment on the news on Twitter, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, wrote: “The Court ends a massive giveaway to the wealthy, who benefited disproportionately from Biden’s scheme.â€
Missouri Rep. Kevin Windham, D-Hillsdale, tweeted, “It’s a shame, but not surprising that Missouri led the way to deny financial relief to Americans in need.â€
A sharply divided Supreme Court ruled Friday that the Biden administration overstepped its authority in trying to cancel or reduce student loans for millions of Americans.