Senate votes to kill $400 billion student loan handout, sets up fifth Biden veto

The Senate voted Thursday to scrap President Biden’s proposal to forgive more than $400 billion in student loan debt, a vote that is expected to force Biden to issue his fifth presidential veto since taking office.

In a 52-46 vote, the Senate passed a resolution disapproving of the Department of Education rule implementing Biden's plan. The vote was successful thanks to Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., who voted with all 49 Republicans to scrap the loan bailout.

The Senate vote followed last week’s 218-203 vote in the House to kill the program that Republicans have said is unfair to Americans who either never took out student loans or paid them off.

"It’s something of a slap in the face to Americans who chose more affordable college options or worked their way through school to avoid taking on student loans, or whose parents scrimped and saved to put them through college," Sen. John Thune, R-S. D., said on the Senate floor before the vote about Biden’s plan.

"It’s deeply unfair to ask the many Americans who worked hard to pay off their loans or who never pursued college in the first place to take on the burden of student debt for individuals who took out loans for college or graduate school and agreed to pay them back," he said.

Democrats voted overwhelmingly against the resolution and argued that Republican efforts to kill the program would hurt millions of Americans who have already qualified for debt relief.

"I’ve heard from so many people across my state who were so grateful and relieved to have a glimmer of hope finally, to see a light at the end of the tunnel, and now, Republicans want to snuff it out," said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.... (Read more)

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