President Biden on Friday announced new actions to offer student loan borrowers some forgiveness, reintroducing his forgiveness plan grounded in the Higher Education Act (HEA), The Hill reported. Using the HEA to provide student debt relief has been pushed by student loan advocates and top Democrats for years. Under the HEA, advocates argue it allows the education secretary to “compromise, waive or release” student loans. This path will require a public comment and notice period before it could go into effect. “We need to find a new way, and we’re moving as fast as we can,” he said in Friday afternoon remarks at the White House. The administration had tied the student debt relief plan — struck down by the Supreme Court — to the national emergency established during the COVID-19 public health crisis, citing the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students (HEROES) Act. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the court’s majority opinion, issued Friday morning, that the HEROES Act does not grant the authority. Biden did not offer further details about who would qualify or how much debt relief borrowers would receive under his new plan to use the HEA, but he said Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has taken steps to initiate the rulemaking process.
