TEMPORARY RELIEF

Biden Extends Student Loan Payment Pause

The extension comes as court challenges have left Biden’s plan to cancel up to $20,000 in debt per borrower in limbo.

President Biden has extended the student loan payment pause until “no later than” June 30 following court challenges that have left his loan cancellation plan hanging in the balance. The extension comes just a month before payments were set to resume, giving the administration an extra five months as the president urges the Supreme Court to review the case. Biden’s plan to cancel up to $20,000 in debt per applicant was temporarily blocked by an appeals court after challenges by six Republican-led states. A federal judge in Texas struck down the planned relief two weeks ago, calling Biden’s move illegal. “I’m completely confident my plan is legal,” Biden said in a video posted to Twitter. “But it isn’t fair to ask tens of millions of borrowers eligible for relief to resume their student debt payments while the courts consider the lawsuit.” Payments will resume earlier if the courts reinstate Biden’s plan or once the litigation is resolved, but will happen no later than the end of June, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona tweeted.