Westbank Louisiana News

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy has expressed approval following a federal court's decision to indefinitely block the Biden-Harris administration's latest student loan policy amid ongoing litigation. Cassidy, who serves as the ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a statement regarding the matter.

"Once again, the courts rebukes the Biden-Harris administration’s underhanded attempts to transfer $147 billion in debt onto taxpayers with no congressional approval," stated Dr. Cassidy. "The Biden-Harris administration is not ‘forgiving’ debt—they are taking it from those who willingly took it out and transferring it onto those who didn't go to college or already paid off loans."

He further criticized the initiative as "an abuse of power and a shameless bid to buy votes on the eve of an election at taxpayers' expense."

The blocked policy adds to another contentious plan from the administration: an income-driven repayment (IDR) scheme. This program could allow many bachelor's degree student loan borrowers to owe zero monthly payments without repaying even their principal amounts, potentially costing taxpayers up to $559 billion. A federal appeals court temporarily halted this IDR program in July.

Cassidy also pointed out that while focusing on these student loan policies, the Biden administration has not successfully implemented updates to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). These delays hinder students and families from obtaining necessary financial aid information when deciding on affordable colleges.