WASHINGTON, June 30 (Reuters) - The U.S Supreme Court on Friday was set to rule on the legality of President Joe Biden's plan to cancel $430 billion in student loan debt - a move intended to benefit up to 43 million Americans and fulfill a campaign promise.
Both Biden, a Democrat, and his Republican predecessor Donald Trump relied upon the HEROES Act beginning in 2020 to repeatedly pause student loan payments and halt interest from accruing to alleviate financial strain on student loan borrowers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the arguments, a Justice Department lawyer portrayed the debt relief as a benefits program rather than an assertion of regulatory power not authorized by Congress.
Circuit Court of Appeals found that at least one of the states, Missouri, had proper standing.
Some 53% of Americans said they support Biden's debt relief, with 45% opposed, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll from March, with respondents dividing sharply along partisan lines with Democrats broadly supportive and Republicans generally opposed.
Persons:
Joe Biden's, Biden, Biden's, Pell, Donald Trump, Myra Brown, Alexander Taylor, John Kruzel, Will Dunham
Organizations:
U.S Supreme, Higher Education, Act, Democrat, Republican, Justice Department, Congress, Circuit, Appeals, Biden, Reuters, Thomson
Locations:
Arkansas , Iowa , Kansas , Missouri , Nebraska, South Carolina, U.S, Missouri, Louis, Texas, New Orleans