Biden v. Nebraska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Biden v. Nebraska |
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| Argued February 28, 2023 Decided June 30, 2023 |
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| Full case name | Joseph R. Biden, President of the United States, et al. v. Nebraska, et al. |
| Docket nos. | 22-506 |
| Citations | 600 U.S. ___ (more) |
| Argument | Oral argument |
| Questions presented | |
| (1) Whether respondents have Article III standing; and (2) Whether the student loan forgiveness plan exceeds the Secretary of Education's statutory authority or is arbitrary and capricious. |
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| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Roberts, joined by Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett |
| Concurrence | Barrett |
| Dissent | Kagan, joined by Sotomayor, Jackson |
| Laws applied | |
| U.S. Const. art. III HEROES Act Administrative Procedure Act |
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Biden v. Nebraska was an important case heard by the Supreme Court of the United States in 2023. It was all about a plan by the Biden administration to cancel or "forgive" a lot of federal student loans. Student loans are money people borrow to pay for college or other higher education.
The plan was challenged by several states. They argued that the President did not have the legal power to cancel such a large amount of debt. On June 30, 2023, the Supreme Court decided that the Secretary of Education did not have the authority to cancel these loans under a law called the HEROES Act.
This case was heard at the same time as another case, Department of Education v. Brown. In that case, people who were part of the student loan program had sued. However, the Supreme Court decided that those individuals did not have the right to sue, so their case was closed.
What Was the Case About?
The Biden administration wanted to help millions of Americans who had student loan debt. They announced a plan in 2022 to forgive up to $10,000 in federal student loans for many borrowers. Some people who received Pell Grants, which are special grants for students with financial need, could get up to $20,000 forgiven.
The administration said they could do this under the HEROES Act. This law was passed after the September 11, 2001, attacks. It allows the Secretary of Education to "waive or modify" student loan rules during national emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic was considered a national emergency.
However, six states disagreed with this plan. They believed the administration was using the HEROES Act in a way it was not meant to be used. They argued that only Congress, which makes laws, could approve such a large cancellation of debt.
The Supreme Court's Decision
The Supreme Court heard arguments from both sides. One big question was whether the states even had the right to sue in the first place. This is called "standing" in legal terms. The Court decided that at least one state, Missouri, did have the right to sue.
Then, the Court looked at the main question: Did the HEROES Act give the Secretary of Education the power to cancel so much student loan debt? In a 6-3 decision, the Court said no.
Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the main opinion for the Court. He explained that while the HEROES Act allows for changes to student loan rules during emergencies, it does not give the power to cancel hundreds of billions of dollars in loans. He said that such a huge change would need clear permission from Congress.
What Happened Next?
After the Supreme Court's decision, President Biden responded. He said he disagreed with the ruling. He then announced that his administration would try a different way to provide student loan relief.
He plans to use a different law, the Higher Education Act of 1965. This law gives the Secretary of Education some authority over student loan programs. This new effort will likely take more time to put into place.
President Biden also compared the student loan forgiveness plan to another program called the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP helped businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic by giving them loans that could be forgiven. Biden pointed out that the PPP had forgiven about $757 billion in loans, which was much more than the student loan plan. He said his plan aimed to give $10,000 to $20,000 in relief, while the average PPP loan forgiven was $70,000.
