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House Republicans on the Education and Workforce Committee advanced a resolution Wednesday on a party-line vote to overturn President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan.
The Government Accountability Office said in March that the plan meets the definition of a rule under the Congressional Review Act. Under the act, a simple majority of lawmakers in the House and Senate can vote to block the administration from carrying out the rule, though a Congressional Review Act resolution is subject to a presidential veto.
House Republicans previously voted to block the debt-relief plan and other changes to the student loan program as part of a bill that would raise the debt ceiling and make other cuts to the federal budget. The legality of Biden’s debt-relief plan is currently pending with the Supreme Court.
North Carolina representative Virginia Foxx, who chairs the House education committee, said in a statement that the plan would leave the country in a cycle of debt.
“America’s student loan system is broken,” Foxx said. “Passing H.J. Res. 45 is the first step in restoring individual responsibility and solving the root challenges of the student loan system.”
House Democrats on the committee said the resolution would deny relief to millions of borrowers and create chaos.
Virginia representative Bobby Scott, the top Democrat on the committee, criticized Republicans for advancing a proposal that was passed last month in the debt-ceiling bill.
“The bottom line is that we have a responsibility to strengthen support for those seeking a college degree—not because everybody should be forced to get one—but, for those who want a college degree, they should have access to that opportunity,” Scott said in the statement. “This proposal does nothing to enhance college education, so I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose it.”
